Two men have been condemned to spend their lives behind bars for the fatal shooting of a convenience store owner in Lithonia, as pronounced by a DeKalb County court. The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office declared the jury's verdict against Ronnie Miller, 46, and Ricky Character, 24, who faced multiple charges including Malice Murder and Aggravated Assault.
These convictions stem from an incident on the night of February 19, 2020, where Tesfaye Birru, the store owner, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Details provided by the prosecution indicated the victim still had the keys to his store in his hand when his life was violently ended. Surveillance footage played a crucial role in unwinding the events of that night, showing three masked gunmen ambushing Birru. In a report published by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, one assailant is described fatally shooting Birru as he attempted to defend himself.
While the third assailant has yet to be identified, evidence leading to Miller and Character's arrests was significant. A camouflage jacket, blue shoes, and a ski mask discovered in Miller’s car were linked to the crime. Their association with the murder was further established through cell phone data and social media posts, which suggested involvement in not just this crime, but a similar robbery that occurred earlier that year.
Sentencing was handed down by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams. "Today, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams, who presided over the trial, sentenced Defendant Miller to life without the possibility of parole plus 45 years and Defendant Character to life without the possibility of parole plus 35 years," declared District Attorney Sherry Boston. The substantial sentences may bring some measure of solace to a community shaken by the violent loss of one of its own.
