A DeKalb County Superior Court judge sentenced Otis Blakes to life in prison plus five years for shooting and killing a parking services employee during a dispute over a car boot last summer. Blakes, 34, was convicted after a jury found him guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
A Boot Dispute Turns Deadly
According to prosecutors, 47-year-old Kirwin Hinds worked for Empire Parking Services and had been sent to an apartment complex on the 2300 block of Peachwood Circle in Atlanta to remove a boot from a vehicle illegally parked in a handicap-accessible spot, as reported by Atlanta News First. The vehicle belonged to a car connected to Otis Blakes' brother, and Christopher Blakes, 30, confronted Hinds, demanding he take the boot off and asking who would cover the fee. Camera footage reportedly showed Christopher Blakes yelling at Hinds during the confrontation.
Prosecutors said the argument escalated into a physical struggle: Christopher Blakes pushed Hinds, and Hinds pushed back, knocking Christopher to the ground. That is when Otis Blakes approached the two men and opened fire, shooting Hinds once in the head. Hinds was unarmed and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Arrests and the Path to Sentencing
Officers arrived at the apartment complex around 7 a.m. on July 19, 2025, finding both Otis Blakes and Christopher Blakes still at the scene. DeKalb County police took both men into custody following the shooting, the outlet's report notes. A jury found Otis Blakes guilty this week, and a DeKalb County Superior Court judge handed down the life-plus-five-years sentence.
Christopher Blakes remains charged with simple battery and disorderly conduct in connection with the confrontation that preceded the shooting. Reports on the case have varied slightly on the ages of the two brothers — an earlier account from 11Alive described Otis Blakes as 33 and Christopher Blake as 28, while the district attorney's more recent statements list them as 34 and 30, respectively.
Booting Called a Persistent Problem at the Complex
The killing renewed attention on car booting as a source of friction at the Haven on Peachwood complex. Residents told 11Alive that parking booting was a recurring problem for both visitors and residents at the property, a frustration that had simmered before it turned fatal in the encounter with Hinds.
Hinds' death drew coverage from multiple Atlanta outlets in the wake of the sentencing, underscoring how a routine parking enforcement stop ended in a fatal shooting. The case against Otis Blakes concluded with his conviction on all four counts, while the misdemeanor case against his brother continues to work through the DeKalb County court system.
