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Arrest made after couple found shot to death in charred DeKalb County home

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Published  September 18, 2024 7:46pm EDT
DeKalb County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Mom grieves son, gf found dead in house fire

Derris Deshaun Woods' mother is devastated by the news of her son and his girlfriend's tragic death. The DeKalb County couple was found shot dead inside a charred home on Cohassett Lane on September 9.

In brief:

    • Derris Woods and Brittany Hall were found shot after a house fire; details released post-investigation.
    • Deidere Waters seeks answers for her son's death; victims found in a collapsed, burnt home.
    • Arrest made in Mississippi; police withhold details.
    • Victim's mother requests public help; families struggle with the developments.
    • Motive for the murders unclear; fire cause under investigation.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Derris Deshaun Woods, 35, and Brittany Hall, 28, were found shot to death inside a home after a massive fire. This revelation came a week after the deadly blaze when the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office released new details. 

Deidere Waters is desperate for answers regarding her son's death. Woods, who was dating Hall, was found inside his Cohassett Lane home on Sept. 9. The house had been fully engulfed in flames and had partially collapsed, leaving firefighters unable to perform a thorough search. The victims' bodies were discovered after the blaze was extinguished. 

"We're both trying to figure this stuff out and trying to get justice for our families," Waters told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes. 

An arrest has been made in Meridian, Mississippi, but the DeKalb County Police Department has not released his name or any details about the case. 

SEE ALSO: Couple found dead in charred DeKalb County home had been shot, officials say

Two bodies were found after a fire inside a home along Cohassett Lane in DeKalb County on Sept. 9, 2024.

Two bodies were found after a fire inside a home along Cohassett Lane in DeKalb County on Sept. 9, 2024.  (Tafari Stevenson-Howard / Supplied)

Waters made an emotional plea for anyone with information to come forward, as the victims' families grapple with the shocking developments. 

"Derris was a great person, very outgoing and helpful, funny. He would give you the shirt off his back. He was a sweet kid," Waters said. 

Waters cannot imagine why anyone would want to harm the couple and said neither she nor her son's friends know the suspect now charged in the case. 

"I don't have a clue," said Waters. "I've never seen that person before in my life, and just can't even figure out why he would even associate himself with this person." 

The fire also remains under investigation.

Sources:

  • DeKalb County Police Department, mother of Derris Woods

DeKalb CountyNewsCrime and Public Safety