Before the suspect allegedly walked into the Lucky Panda restaurant and opened fire, his nephew, a 16-year-old Towers High student, died in a drive-by shooting.
That's according to DeKalb County detective R.S. Harris, who testified Wednesday during a preliminary hearing. Travis Minor, 33, was in court on a murder charge, accused of storming the South Hairston Road restaurant on June 8 and shooting of Dedrick Davis, 21, while saying, "This is for my nephew."
The detective said Chris Moore, who died on May 29 in the drive-by on Redan Road, was the son of Minor’s brother.
Asked by Minor’s attorney if Davis was a suspect in Moore’s death, Harris said: “From my understanding, he was involved.” He didn’t elaborate.
Minor appeared calm in court, chained at the wrists, waist and feet, and showed no signs of stress as Harris detailed the case against him.
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Harris said a police officer’s license plate reader recorded the tag of a black Dodge Charger on South Hairston Road on the night of the shooting. The car blocked traffic as a man got out and ran toward the Lucky Panda, where Davis was sitting at a table waiting for his food.
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The man, who was captured on a nearby security camera, ran back to the Charger and sped away a few minutes later.
With the tag number, detectives learned the car was registered to Minor. Police brought a photo of the shooter from the restaurant’s security system to Minor’s employer, a Sears subsidiary that does carpet cleaning and duct work.
The general manager said it was Minor, Harris said.
After hearing the testimony, Judge Claire Jason found probable cause for the state to continue with the case in Superior Court.
Minor headed back to jail without bond.
Family members of Minor and his attorney, Beverly Taylor, declined to comment after the hearing.
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