ATLANTA — A Lithonia woman has been sentenced to 20 years for shooting and killing the father of one of her children, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney office.
Officials add that children were inside the home at the time of the incident.
Quaneesha Nicole Johnson, age 30, was convicted on charges of:
- Voluntary manslaughter
- Two counts of aggravated assault
- Two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
Back in November of last year, Johnson reportedly called 911 to ask for a police escort to her home on Edenberry Lane.
The DA's office said the night before, Johnson was out clubbing with her friends and left her three children with Demonte Smith, 29, the father of her child. Smith expected Johnson to be home at 6 a.m. and when she did not return, he called her several times, according to documents.
The release from the DA's office notes that Smith was worried because Johnson called him earlier in the night and said she and her friends had been in a physical altercation with other people at the club.
He then called some Johnson's family members, who also became worried because her phone was off. They all called local hospitals and jails to try to locate her.
Flash forward to 9 a.m. and Johnson had turned her phone back on, according to the DA's office, and saw text messages from Smith. She called her family members, who group-called Smith into the conversation. The release adds that "Smith was angry and threatened to hit Defendant Johnson when she got home."
Once Johnson did return home, about two hours later, she had a DeKalb County police escort, who told her to place her gun in her car. The DA's office said she told the officer there were no other weapons inside the home.
Smith then came outside where he and Johnson argued in front of the officers. The DA's office notes that the police tried to resolve the situation, but said Johnson "continued to talk over them and was combative with them."
The DA's office said officers sent both Johnson and Smith inside the house to calm down. As she walked inside, Johnson asked the officers what would happen if she shot Smith “in self-defense” and told them that she had already looked up the self-defense law.
At that time, the DA's office said police remained at the scene and to give the couple a few minutes to cool off before trying again to mediate.
But before that was able to happen, Johnson apparently came outside, grabbed a metal tire rod and her gun from her car and went back into the house. The DA's office said "she directed one of her children to call 911 and say that Smith had hit her."
Authorities said Johnson hit Smith in the head with the tire rod and then shot him, adding that the gunshot could heard on the 911 recording, as well as Johnson repeatedly saying “bye” to Smith.
Smith went outside to find the police officers and told them, “she hit me in the head with a metal thing and then shot me. Hurry before I die.” After that, the authorities said he collapsed.
At police headquarters, the DA's office said Johnson admitted Smith had never actually hit her that day.
Investigators later discovered Smith had requested a rideshare to leave the house, but was shot and killed just minutes before it was scheduled to arrive.
Johnson was sentenced to 10 years of confinement, split between five in prison and five more under house arrest with an additional 10 years on probation.
The DA's office noted that Johnson will not yet begin her sentence though, because the judge granted her an appeal bond over the State’s objection. Judge Morris ordered Johnson to be placed on house arrest while her attorney appeals her conviction.
