Family hopes a tip will lead to second arrest in murder of 28-year-old father
DeKalb County police search for second murder suspect
DeKalb County police say officers are trying to find the second person behind the murder of a 28-year-old man at a gas station last month. It happened at the Citgo gas station on Rockbridge Road. The victim's family says they are heartbroken over their loss.
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. - A Stone Mountain family is desperate to know the person who shot and killed a father will be held accountable.
DeKalb County police are trying to find the second person suspected in the murder of 28-year-old Deven Tillis. It happened at a Citgo gas station on Rockbridge Road last month.
"If you know who did this to Deven, say something. He grew up in this very neighborhood, on this very street," Amber Zachary said through tears. She and Tillis share a son. "If you know what happened call Crime Stoppers. You don't have to give your name."
Friday’s weather seemed to match how Zachary and Tillis' mother, Kimau Shields, feel. They say since his death on July 24, there has been a dark, damp cloud hanging over them.
"He smiled all the time. He was a great father, boyfriend, a great son. We feel were robbed of something great," Shields said.
Tillis was supposed to go to his 8-year-old son's football game the night he was shot and killed. His mom's 50th birthday party was set to happen days later.
Instead, around 6:30 at the Citgo on Rockbridge road in Stone Mountain, family says a bullet hit Tillis.
Deven Tillis
Zachary says Tillis called her immediately after the violence.
"I just heard him screaming. I said pick the phone up. He picked it up and he said 'Amber, somebody just shot me.' and the phone dropped," Zachary explained. "That's the last thing he said to me."
Loved ones say for 45 minutes, a car wash worker called for help.
"I just know in my heart, if they would've come in time, he'd have been okay," she said.
Tillis died at the hospital. His 8-year-old son, who the family says he did everything with, doesn't know what it's like to live without a father.
Police have charged Morgan Bailey for malice murder. Another suspect, Ramon McCullough, is still out there. Tillis' loved ones say an arrest won't make the situation any less dreary, but they're desperate to know something.
"It's not snitching when it comes to a life. This life that we lost was so precious to us," Zachary said.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of that second suspect or have any other information that could help get this family some answers, call the DeKalb County Homicide Unit at 770-724-7850.