DeKalb County man sentenced to life for murdering roommate during gun argument
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of his roommate during an argument over the same gun used in the deadly shooting.
Last week, jurors found 25-year-old Zakariya Wildman guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Officials say the guilty verdict stems from a shooting on Jan. 12, 2023, in unincorporated Decatur. On that morning, police responded to reports of a person shot at a home on the 1400 block of Meadowlark Drive.
At the scene, other residents of the home told officers that Wildman had bought the gun recently and was shooting at targets in the backyard. After neighbors got upset, the victim, 28-year-old Kali Winston, confronted Wildman, leading to a fight.
The roommates broke Winston and Wildman up, but told police that Wildman retrieved his gun, walked into the living room, and shot Winston in the chest before running off.
Winston died at the scene. Police found Wildman a short time later walking in the neighborhood. While he admitted their fight had ended, officials say he claimed that he shot Winston in self-defense.
Following the jury's verdict, a DeKalb County senior judge sentenced Wildman to life in prison.