Alpharetta Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Shooting Death of Fiancee

An Alpharetta man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection to the fatal shooting of his fiancée.

Alamin Nanji entered the guilty plea on Thursday, Oct. 30 to voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges in relation to the death of 25-year-old Sanaa Merani.

Merani was shot and killed on Oct. 16, 2012, inside the couple’s Jefferson Way apartment in Alpharetta.

Shortly before the shooting, the defendant and victim were “engaged in a heated argument ,which could be heard by neighbors,“ the Fulton County District Attorney’s office said in a press release.

During the argument, Nanji grabbed his loaded .9mm handgun from the dresser in the bedroom. Nanji told police that he was attempting to leave the apartment, but the argument escalated into a physical altercation.

The victim was shot in the head during the struggle. Nanji called 911 after the shooting, performed CPR and waited for authorities to arrive. He was later arrested and charged with murder.

“In an unusual circumstance, family members of the victim requested that the state agree to accept a plea of voluntary manslaughter in an effort to avoid the trauma of trial,” the district attorney’s office added.

Following his plea, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shawn LaGrua sentenced Nanji to 20 years in prison followed by five years’ probation.

Photo credit: Patch file