A DeKalb County jury found 38-year-old Antonio Robert Watson guilty of malice murder, felony murder, home invasion, aggravated assault and gun charges in the shooting death of 30-year-old Shalileha Alford, a woman he was dating. A judge immediately sentenced Watson to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an extra 20 years. The shooting happened the morning of April 15, 2025, at the Studio 6 motel on Crescent Centre Boulevard in Tucker.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston's office said the jury returned its guilty verdict Thursday, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The outlet reports that Alford had called 911 the day before the shooting to report that Watson broke into her room, beat her with a handgun and threatened to shoot her in the face. Authorities have not explained what action officers took after that call, FOX 5 notes.
Security Footage Captured the Moments Before the Shooting
Motel security cameras showed Watson knock on Alford's door and pull a gun from his pocket after she looked through the curtains but refused to let him in, per the station's report. Prosecutors said Watson then shot through the window, climbed through the broken glass into the room, and shot Alford several more times before running back to his car and driving away.
The 911 recording from the morning of the shooting captured the sound of multiple gunshots. Watson claimed Alford had shot at him and separately called 911 himself, claiming Alford had robbed him and that her dog had bitten him, the same account states. Authorities said motel security cameras contradicted Watson's version of events.
Alford Died Within the Hour; Watson Fled Troopers
Officers arriving at the scene found Alford unconscious in the bathtub. She died a little over an hour later. Hours afterward, Georgia State Patrol troopers spotted Watson's car on Memorial Drive near Candler Road, and he fled an attempted traffic stop at high speed before a trooper stopped the vehicle using a PIT maneuver, the report notes.
Domestic Violence Remains a Leading Factor in Homicides
Georgia's Family Violence Fatality Review Project analyzes statewide data on family and intimate partner violence to reduce domestic violence fatalities, enhance victim safety and promote offender accountability, according to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. A separate fact sheet from the commission states that approximately one in five homicide victims nationwide are killed by an intimate partner, underscoring the pattern investigators say played out in Alford's case the day after she sought help.
