GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Two people accused of killing a Jackson County star football player learned their sentence on Monday.
Gwinnett County Judge Ronnie Batchelor sentenced Chandler Richardson to life with the possibility of parole and five years to serve; Kemare Bryan was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and five years to serve.
Elijah DeWitt was shot and killed in the parking lot of Sugarloaf Mills Mall outside the Dave & Buster's in Lawrenceville on the night of Oct. 5, 2022.
Both Bryan and Richardson took a plea deal, avoiding trial. They pleaded guilty to felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Kpadeh Jones, the third suspect in the case, did not appear in court on Monday. It's unclear what lies ahead in his case.
Prosecutors gave extra details as to what happened the night of the shooting, adding that several videos helped in law enforcement's investigation. Cell phone data placed each individual at the location at the time of the murder. Prosecutors also stated jail calls were recorded and used in the investigation.
Bryan was given a chance to speak about what happened that night. He told prosecutors and the judge that the three suspects asked DeWitt and a friend of his for marijuana, but the suspects did not pay for the marijuana that was given to them.
After spotting DeWitt and his friend at the Dave and Busters, the three of them decided to make fun of the football player since they didn't pay him or his friend for the marijuana, according to Bryan.
"That was not actually conducted by Elijah DeWitt, but he was approached as part of that," said the prosecutor.
DeWitt's mother and prosecutors said that her son did not do the deal. That it was one of the defendants and one of her son's friends that made the drug deal.
“I was trying to scare him. That’s why I pulled out the gun," Bryan said. “When I pulled the gun out, and we had the confrontation, he got this look in his eye of rage, and that scared me. We got into that little tussle, and he was grabbing me, and we were grabbing each other."
Bryan said that's when shots were fired.
Richardson and Bryan were arrested in Anderson County, South Carolina a week after the shooting and were later indicted by a grand jury on one count of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Both were denied bond.
Jones wasn't arrested until over a year after the shooting. He was indicted Nov. 1 for the same four charges as Richardson and Bryan.
Dewitt's family filed a lawsuit against the business owners where the shooting took place -- Sugarloaf Mills, Simon Property Group, Allied Universal and Dave & Buster’s. They said they are suing the groups "for failing to provide adequate security even though they knew the property was – and continued to be – dangerous."
DeWitt's mother, Dawn, previously said while her son was a giant on the football field at Jefferson High School, he was the most down-to-earth guy with dreams to play college football – a dream cut short by one senseless act.
It seemed like nothing could stand in Elijah's way – his mother said he already had a couple offers and was set to visit the University of Georgia.
"He loved football, he was ready and willing to do whatever it takes to go D1, that was his ultimate goal," Dawn said. "He was very tender and he loved people. Elijah was the kindest soul."