ALBANY, Ga. – After less than three hours of deliberation, a Dougherty County Superior Court Jury convicted Christopher Cooks and Mareo Jackson in connection to the May 13, 2020, shooting death of Dequario Antwon Thomas and the aggravated assault of Kenya Moffett. The jury found both men guilty on charges including malice murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and multiple firearm-related offenses.

The verdict was reached following a trial covered by WALB’s Madison Foglio on Tuesday, Dec. 5. According to a release by the Dougherty County District Attorney, Cooks and Jackson were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to a total of 35 years in prison. Jackson also had an existing probation violation sentence revoked in full to prison concurrent with his sentence for this incident.

Dougherty Judicial Circuit District Attorney Greg Edwards expressed that the crimes committed by Cooks and Jackson were especially disturbing because the defendants targeted and stalked Thomas before attacking him at the ice machine at the intersection of Independence Avenue and Sylvester Road. They then maliciously fired multiple shots at Moffett’s vehicle for no reason.

“Our mission continues, and I want to assure our citizens that this office is actively engaged in prosecuting all crimes in our community, especially those serious violent crimes, and our efforts have been met with success, thanks to our law enforcement community and concerned citizens stepping forward to voice their intolerance for such crimes when they witness it — thanks to throw combined efforts, we have gained conviction after conviction against criminals who have perpetrated crimes in Dougherty County. We further hope that these actions will help deter future violence in the community,” Edwards said.

The jury’s guilty verdict and the subsequent sentences imposed serve as a reminder that justice prevails in the face of violent crimes in the community.

This article was written exclusively based on information from court proceedings and official statements by the Dougherty County District Attorney.