Jury finds gunman guilty of all but one charge in death of innocent tow truck driver

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A 26-year-old man has been convicted in the deadly shooting of a tow truck operator in May 2022.

Victor Richardson was found guilty of felony murder, but not guilty of malice murder. Ultimately, he was guilty of five of the six counts against him.

Richardson told jurors he feared for his life the day Christopher Harrold was killed. The 26-year-old said he never meant to shoot the tow truck operator and felt horrible when he realized he had.

Richardson said he was arguing with Harrold’s employee, DeAndre Dean, over money when he says Dean started shooting at him

JURY IN SHOOTING DEATH OF INNOCENT TOW TRUCK DRIVER SEES MURDER WEAPON

The state says Richardson was lying on the stand. Prosecutors say he was not fearful of his life, but rather mad and opened fire on a busy Chevron gas station because he had a malignant heart and wanted to shoot employee Dean.

The defense claimed this was a dispute over drug money.

The state says it was a series of bad decisions that lead to murder.

Christopher Harrold (Courtesy of the family)

TOW TRUCK DRIVER'S MURDER: SURVEILLANCE VIDEO RELEASED DURING TRIAL

Prosecutors showed the jurors police body cam video and surveillance video taken at the gas station where Christopher Harrold was murdered.

Detectives said the video puts the rifle in Richardson’s hand. They said he sprayed bullets from his black Chevy Impala during an argument with the new trainee, DeAndre Dean. Officials said the two were arguing over money.

At least two of those bullets hit Harrold, who had nothing to do with the fight.

Prosecutors also showed jurors the handgun tow truck employee Dean likely had as the two men shot at each other.

Police said they got a break in the case from Richardson’s mother. The suspect’s mother, Shantina Richardson, told jurors when she arrived at home on the day of the deadly shooting, her son was visibly upset. She said he wanted to turn himself in.

Richardson was also found guilty of aggravated assault and firearms possession.

His sentence hearing has been scheduled for Friday morning.