A Stone Mountain man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the fatal shooting of one teenage girl and the wounding of another, following a conviction by jury trial in DeKalb County.
On November 6, 2025, Malachi Coleman, 23, was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The charges stem from the killing of Jayce Pirtle, 19, and the shooting of a 16-year-old girl on January 2, 2023.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the verdict. According to investigators, police responded to a report of a shooting at about 5 p.m. in a residential neighborhood on Arbor Ridge Drive in Stone Mountain. Officers discovered two teenage girls with gunshot wounds. Jayce Pirtle died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. The second victim survived after being transported to the hospital.
The surviving victim told authorities that she and her sister were confronted by "a man dressed in black" while walking home. She stated that she heard her sister pleading with Malachi Coleman not to shoot her.
Police obtained security camera footage from a nearby residence that showed Coleman chasing both girls while dressed in black. The video reportedly captured him standing over the surviving victim and shooting her twice before pursuing Jayce off-screen. Audio recorded Jayce screaming Coleman's name and begging him to stop; two more gunshots were also heard.
Investigators learned that Coleman had been dating a friend of the victims and had argued with them the day before because he was upset his girlfriend spent New Year's Eve with them and some male relatives.
Immediately after the verdict was read, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Parker-Smith sentenced Coleman to life without parole.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ryan Patrick with support from Senior Assistant District Attorney Kara Roberts, Investigator Jarrod Browder, and Victim Advocate LaTonya Gates. Detective A. Crowe led the initial investigation for DeKalb County Police Department.
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