A man was sentenced to prison Monday for fatally shooting his longtime friend who owned him less than $50, officials said.
Rickey Carter, 65, was found guilty in a DeKalb County courtroom of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the 2022 death of Quinlan Parker, 48, District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Claire Chaffins said. Carter was sentenced to life in prison, plus five years.
The deadly incident happened Jan. 28, 2022, at an apartment on Maypop Lane near Snapfinger Woods Drive in unincorporated Decatur. DeKalb police said they found Parker dead at the scene with a single gunshot to his chest.
His wife, who performed CPR until paramedics arrived, told police that shortly after Parker returned home from work, Carter knocked on their door. Carter was invited inside because he was friends with Parker, Chaffins said.
Once inside the apartment, officials said Carter began arguing with Parker about $35 that the victim had borrowed a few weeks earlier. At some point, Carter pulled out a handgun and shot Parker, according to Chaffins.
Carter tried to claim that he shot in self-defense, but authorities said a cellphone video that the victim’s stepdaughter recorded of the encounter showed Parker backing away before being shot.
Carter left the house after the gunfire. He was arrested nearly a week later by DeKalb police.
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