Stone Mountain man sentenced for killing girlfriend, business partner

Kevin Matchen

Kevin Lamar Matchen, 51, of Stone Mountain, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years for the murder of his girlfriend and business partner, Alysia Darice Scott, 45. 

Matchen was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The tragic incident occurred in October 2023 while Scott's young grandchild was asleep upstairs in her home.

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Scott was discovered dead on her sofa by a neighbor on Oct. 18, 2023, who then called the police. Investigators found that she had been shot in the head. Matchen, her long-time boyfriend and partner in their landscaping company, initially told police that they had returned home from dinner the previous night. He claimed he then went to DeKalb County to retrieve tools for a job and met a friend at a hotel. Upon returning home around 4 a.m., he found the garage door open and Scott slumped on the couch. He reported her death and took Scott’s grandchild to a neighbor's home.

Despite Matchen's claim that they had a "good night" without arguments, neighbors reported hearing the couple arguing the evening before her death. Text messages from Matchen's phone revealed a pattern of consistent arguing. Additionally, doorbell camera footage showed Matchen banging on the door at 10:30 p.m. on the night of the murder and trying to conceal his identity with a flashlight. The doorbell camera had been removed, and no further recordings were available. Evidence indicated that Scott's phone traveled with Matchen after 11 p.m., contradicting his story of picking up tools. Traffic cameras also captured him in his truck during this time.

The jury deliberated for 35 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all charges. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Isabella Lugo and Aspen Talley, with significant assistance from the Gwinnett County Police Department.