One of three suspects wanted in a shooting that killed a DeKalb County business owner is behind bars.
Ronnie Miller, 42, of Conyers, was arrested Thursday morning in connection with the death of 57-year-old Tesfaye Birru, DeKalb police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent said in an emailed statement.
Birru, who owned the Tic Toc food mart on Evans Mill Road in Stonecrest, was found fatally shot outside of his store Feb. 19, AJC.com previously reported. His body was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head, investigators said.
In a March 3 news conference, DeKalb Detective J.B. Williams said investigators believed three suspects tried to rob Birru before shooting him to death and taking off in a maroon Honda Accord.
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Investigators received numerous tips following the news conference and identified Miller as a suspect, according to police. Deputies arrested him in a parking lot on Old Covington Highway in Conyers, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cynthia Williams said. He was charged with felony murder and taken to the DeKalb County Jail, where he remains with no bond.
“Surveillance video showed that Miller and two other individuals were involved in the shooting and that Miller made initial contact with Mr. Birru,” Vincent said in the statement.
Investigators are still looking for the other suspects.
During last week’s news conference, Birru’s widow, Worke Serete, said her husband was a hard worker who prioritized his three children over everything.
“He does anything for his kids. Anything,” Serete said. “He comes home late, 12 o’clock. He gets up at 5 o’clock. He never complains. I can’t believe anyone could hurt him.”
Birru’s 14-year-old son, Amanuel Chernet, said his father was “the best dad anyone could ever have.”
“He would never let anyone come into the store crying or sad,” Amanuel said. “He told me all the stories. People come in, they come in sad and he says, ‘Why are you sad? Come on, be happy! Please, for me?’ And they would leave the store with a smile.”
The teen said he’s not sure why someone would kill his father.
“He would give you anything,” Amanuel said. “Anything. Just ask. You don’t have to force him. You don’t have to shoot him. Just ask him. He will do it.”
Investigators hope the arrest will help assuage some of the family’s grief.
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Anyone with information about the two remaining suspects is asked to contact DeKalb police. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
“We are just trying to bring justice for this family so they can have some type of closure,” Williams said during the news conference. “No matter what happens in this case — even when we catch the suspects — it’s not going to bring Mr. T back. But we do want to bring the family some type of closure in this incident.”
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