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2nd suspect arrested in possibly hate-motivated murder of gay man

Witnesses saw two people get out of a truck, put on masks and demand Ronald Peters' bag while allegedly hurling homophobic slurs.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Police have made a second arrest in the murder of a gay man shot to death on his way to work earlier this summer.

It was around 8:30 a.m. June 4 when Ronald "Trey" Peters' partner said Peters was walking to a MARTA stop when he was gunned down off Orchard Circle in Decatur. 

Witnesses saw two people get out of a truck, put on masks and demand Peters' bag while allegedly hurling homophobic slurs. Police said one of the two shot Peters in the chest and neck before grabbing the bag and driving off in a maroon 4-door truck. It came just a week after Peters was reportedly harassed in the same way.

RELATED: Gunman yelled 'obscene gay slurs' before killing man on his way to work, witness says

Police released the names and clear surveillance photos of three people the believed were connected to the crime - Joshua Ellis and Shaleeya Moore. They did not identify the third suspect. 

Credit: DeKalb County
Joshua Ellis

Ellis had already been in jail on unrelated charges, but Moore had still been on the run. But July 31, police confirmed they'd found her and took her into custody on July 27. 

Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

The third unidentified suspect is still outstanding.

RELATED: Persons of interest sought in deadly shooting preceded by alleged homophobic slur

Friends of Peters told 11Alive they would not let his death - which is believed to be motivated by hate - be in vain. They said they would be looking into ways to make sure his death would be prosecuted as a hate crime, but learned that it wouldn't be easy to do in Georgia - that's because the state doesn't have laws regarding hate-motivated crimes. 

RELATED: Shot in chest after being called an 'obscene gay slur.' Now, friend calls for Ga. hate crime bill

Credit: Kelly Nelson
Ronald Peters

However, the ADL is working to rectify that by having HB426 pushed through the Georgia legislature. The bill would make crimes motivated by hate towards a person’s gender, race or sexual orientation illegal in the state. The bill has bipartisan support and passed the House in 2019. It’s currently sitting in a Senate subcommittee and will be taken back up in January of 2020.  

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