DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the conviction of a Decatur man, Deeron Hicks, for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Ja’Nautica Whitehead. The jury found Hicks guilty on charges including Malice Murder and Felony Murder.
The incident occurred on November 25, 2022. The following day, officers from the DeKalb County Police Department discovered Whitehead's body in a vehicle parked in a wooded area off Snapfinger Parkway. She had been shot in the head.
Investigations revealed that Hicks became violent when Whitehead tried to distance herself after enrolling in college. In the months leading up to her death, he reportedly assaulted and threatened her multiple times. Just two weeks before the murder, Hicks allegedly attacked Whitehead at her workplace.
On November 25, cell phone records indicated that Hicks followed Whitehead and called her several times before she stopped her car. He then shot her twice at close range.
Hicks was arrested on December 17, 2022. Following the guilty verdicts, Judge Desiree Sutton Peagler sentenced him to life imprisonment plus five years.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Nicole Finnie with support from Senior Assistant District Attorney Ashley Johnson and others. Detective D.D. Evans led the initial investigation.