DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced a conviction by jury trial in the case against a Decatur man accused of shooting and killing the man who lived in the apartment above him. Alphonso Watts, 53, was found guilty of various charges related to the killing of Darryl Halden, 35, on August 16, 2020.
During the trial, it was revealed that Watts had been involved in a dispute with Halden over the storage of a bicycle in the building's hallway. Additionally, Watts believed that Halden was spying on him through his smoke detector, as reported by residents at the complex and confirmed in an interview with detectives.
Following the guilty verdicts, Judge Shondeana Morris sentenced Watts to Life plus 15 years for his crimes.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Kara Roberts with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Helen Pott, District Attorney Investigator J.B. Williams, and Victim Advocate Kaysha Albritton. DeKalb County Police Department Det. Hoyt led the initial investigation.