Lithonia man sentenced to life plus 65 for killing girlfriend, shooting police officer in 2019
OTIS WALKER
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A Lithonia man, Otis Dennis Walker, has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison after killing his girlfriend, Aleka Simmons, and shooting DeKalb County Police Department Officer Derek Nunn on Aug. 1, 2019. Walker was found guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.
The fatal incident unfolded at a residence in the 4800 block of Hodgdon Corners Cove in Lithonia. DKPD officers responded to a 911 call reporting a person shot. As they approached the scene, they came under fire from Walker, who struck Officer Nunn four times. The officers had to retreat, and the SWAT team was activated before they reapproached the residence to check on the shooting victim.
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Simmons was found in an upstairs bedroom with a gunshot wound to the chest and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Officer Nunn was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries and fortunately recovered.
It began on the evening of July 31, 2019, when a few hang-up calls were made to 911 from the same residence. Around midnight, Simmons called 911, expressing fear for her life and saying, "if anything happens to me…" During the call, the dispatcher could hear arguing in the background, with Simmons asking, "Are you threatening me? You're gonna kill me?"
DKPD responded to the call but left after finding the home dark and quiet, with no apparent signs of disturbance.
Walker's mother, Sharon Walker, was asleep when a minor family member informed her that the police were at the front door. She went to her son's bedroom, where he was staying with Simmons, and sensed tension between the two. Sharon Walker offered to give Simmons a ride and went to her room to get her car keys. Otis Walker indicated to his mother that Simmons intended to talk to the police and then closed the bedroom door.
Moments later, a gunshot rang out, and Ms. Walker returned to the room to find Simmons wounded. Otis Walker, who had a prior arrest for battery involving the victim, told his mother that he did not want to go back to jail.
Ms. Walker and two minors fled the home, seeking refuge at a neighbor's house to call 911. Officer Nunn, who had responded to the initial call, returned with two additional officers. As they approached the front yard, Otis Walker began shooting at the officers, hitting Officer Nunn. Walker fired 19 rounds before escaping into the nearby woods.
A massive manhunt ensued, leading to Otis Walker's arrest on Aug. 8, 2019, by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Task Force and DKPD. A signed apology to Officer Nunn and DKPD for his actions was found on Walker's person at the time of his arrest.
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During the trial, Otis Walker claimed self-defense in the shooting of Aleka Simmons. He also insisted that he fired his weapon toward the ground at responding officers to provoke them to shoot and kill him. However, the evidence contradicted his claims, with shots that struck Officer Nunn and a round piercing the second floor of a neighboring home.
The case, which was handled by the District Attorney's Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Paige Boorman with support from Senior ADA Garrett Emmons, DA Investigator Andre Williams, DA Investigator Christopher Franklin, and Victim Advocate Shelbie Rainwater. DeKalb County Police Department Detective Victor Redrick led the initial investigation, while GBI Special Agent Justin McAllister headed the investigation into the shooting of Officer Nunn. Otis Dennis Walker was sentenced to life without parole plus an additional 65 years to serve consecutively by DeKalb Superior Court Judge Yolanda Parker-Smith.