Fulton DA announces conviction for domestic violence-related murder

ATLANTA — The office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announced a murder suspect accused of a murder from 2021 related to domestic violence was found guilty on all counts.

Carlos Dill was accused of shooting Jonathan Stafford to death on Nov. 26, 2021.

The same day, Atlanta police arrested Dill, according to an update published by the department.

The DA’s office said Stafford was shot in the parking lot of a Boulder Park Drive apartment complex.

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Dill was caught on “several high-definition surveillance cameras” shooting Stafford, DA Fani Willis said in a statement.

According to information provided by the Fulton DA’s Office, Dill had spent the day before as “a day of persistent and furious calls and texts” to his ex-girlfriend, Tatiana Willis-Riley.

Willis-Riley had chosen to spend her Thanksgiving holiday with Stafford and his family, instead of Dill.

The DA’s office said Dill had “been making uninvited and unwelcome appearances at Ms. Willis-Riley’s workplace and had even attempted to break into her home,” scaring his ex-girlfriend.

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The night of the shooting, the DA said Stafford had accompanied Dill’s ex-girlfriend to her apartment to make sure she, and her children, were safe from Dill.

The surveillance footage shows Dill “stealthily pursue” them in the parking lot, “hiding between cars” before going toward Stafford and holding a gun to the back of his head.

Dill shot Stafford six times while Willis-Riley pleaded with him, according to the DA’s office. Willis-Riley’s children were already inside the apartment.

“Driven by violent jealousy, the Defendant resorted to shooting his ex-partner’s family friend at close range while she begged him to stop,” Willis said in a statement. “The weight of this murder on Ms. Willis-Riley and the family of Mr. Stafford is unimaginable, and I sincerely hope they can find some solace in this conviction.”

On June 15, the DA’s office said Dill was found guilty on eleven counts for Stafford’s death.

According to the DA, he was charged with Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

After his conviction, Dill was sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus another 15 years in prison by Judge Robert McBurney.

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