A Clayton County man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a friend during a Super Bowl night altercation over an unpaid loan, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced.
Shiva Vereen, 52, was found guilty on Friday, August 15, by a jury on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. The confrontation leading to Andrew Carpenter's death occurred early in the morning on February 13, 2023, at a sports bar in the City of Stonecrest. Responding to a 3:15 a.m. call, DeKalb County Police Department officers discovered Carpenter with multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot, where he was pronounced deceased.
Surveillance footage and witness accounts indicated that Vereen and Carpenter had been seated in Carpenter's SUV outside the bar for about 40 minutes. After they exited the vehicle, Carpenter remained near it, mingling with friends, while Vereen retrieved a gun from his own car and then shot Carpenter several times, fleeing the scene shortly after.
In court, Vereen claimed he acted in self-defense, suggesting he had blacked out during the actual shooting. Text messages revealed escalating tensions over a debt of $1,600 Carpenter owed Vereen, shedding doubt on the self-defense claim. Immediately following the verdict, Judge Alan C. Harvey of the DeKalb County Superior Court handed down the life sentence plus an additional five years, to be served consecutively.
The case was overseen by the Homicide and Gangs Unit with Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney Josh Geller taking the lead, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Connor Payne, District Attorney Investigator Tiffany Edwards, and Victim Advocate Amina Abdul-Muhaymin providing support. Detective C. Heavner of the DeKalb County Police Department was credited with spearheading the initial investigation. More details about the trial and conviction can be found in the official statement from the District Attorney's office.
