A suspected gunman has been nabbed for the fatal shooting of a Clayton County man that transpired last month. Officers from Forest Park Police Department arrested Guillermo “Diego” Hernandez, who is believed to have fired the deadly shot that killed John Donahue while he sat outside his home on May 20.
During an interview on May 31, Hernandez reportedly to inadvertently confirm details that matched a witness's account, according to Forest Park Police. These statements by Hernandez seemingly implicated him in Donahue's death. The revelations led authorities to execute multiple warrants and discover "substantial" evidence which subsequently resulted in a felony murder and aggravated assault warrant for his arrest, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The victim's brother, John Randle, recounted hearing a dispute between a woman and a man passing by along Burks Road. In his recollection to FOX 5 Atlanta, he said, "The altercation turned into threats. Then, after threats were made, the guy pulled out a gun and started shooting multiple rounds." It was one of these rounds that tragically struck and instantly claimed the life of his brother.
Hernandez was taken into custody after what was termed as a 'brief manhunt' on the evening of Friday. Adding to this narrative, the victim's daughter, Carley Stiles shared with Channel 2’s Tom Jones that her father was an innocent bystander, caught in crossfire intended for a woman, and lamented how he was "just sitting there on his tablet and got shot," according to WSB-TV.
While police have yet to formally confirm Stiles’s claim, the accumulated evidence from the search warrants was enough for officials to move forward with the felony charges against Hernandez. His arrest adds a chilling close to what appears to be a random act of violence that snuffed out Donahue's life prematurely, echoing the harsh reality of street altercations escalating to deadly force.
