A late-night stay at a College Park Days Inn ended in tragedy when a woman was found shot to death inside a hotel room on Best Road, and another woman was arrested on a felony murder charge in connection with the killing, according to court records. An arrest warrant and hotel surveillance footage reviewed by investigators place both women at the property during the late-night hours of June 21 and 22 and link a vehicle and ballistic evidence to the case. Authorities have identified the victim as Jermiya Latrice Richardson and the woman named in the warrant as Niasia Ashana Adaja Pierce.
Warrant Lays Out Timeline And Evidence
According to 11Alive, the arrest affidavit states that the two women arrived at the Days Inn at 9:42 p.m. on June 21 and were captured on surveillance video moving toward room 2220. The warrant describes footage showing one woman grabbing and pushing the other in the lobby before they walked to the room together. It also notes that a grey 2024 Jeep Compass left the hotel at 12:18 a.m. Investigators later recovered a 9 mm bullet and shell casings inside the room, and hotel staff eventually discovered Richardson's body between two beds.
Citywide Context
The homicide comes as metro Atlanta officials have been pointing to shifting violent-crime trends, including a recent drop in killings. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Atlanta recorded fewer homicides in 2025 than in prior years, a trend police say they are trying to sustain. Local advocates caution that even a single killing highlights ongoing concerns about gun violence and the safety of people in vulnerable situations.
Arrest Warrant And Booking
The warrant, signed by a Fulton County magistrate on June 24, charges Pierce with felony murder, according to 11Alive. The outlet reports that Pierce was booked into the Fulton County Jail on June 25. Prosecutors have not yet filed a public indictment, and documents indicate that the investigation remains active.
What Felony Murder Can Mean In Georgia
Under Georgia law, prosecutors can seek a murder charge when a death occurs during the commission of a felony. In those cases, they are not required to prove malice in the same way as in some other murder prosecutions, and the potential penalties can be severe. The state’s murder statute sets out those distinctions and possible sentences in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-1. The full statutory language is available through Justia.
What Happens Next
After booking, people arrested in Fulton County typically appear before a magistrate for an initial hearing, and the case then moves through the county’s court process for potential indictment and later arraignment. The Fulton County Sheriff's Office provides information about intake procedures and the main jail facility at 901 Rice Street NW in Atlanta.
Investigators are asking anyone with relevant footage or information to contact the agency handling the case as the probe continues. Authorities have not released a possible motive. We will update this story as additional court filings and official statements become available.
