Atlanta Man Convicted in Cold Case Homicide

From the Fulton County District Attorney's Office:

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction by jury trial of a metro Atlanta man. Jurors returned verdicts of guilty against 35-year-old Travaris Hardy upon charges of Murder, Felony Murder, Armed Robbery and related charges.

On August 16, 2008, Marcus Shirley and his girlfriend drove from Mississippi to Atlanta to purchase two pounds of marijuana. The victim and his girlfriend along with Shirley’s cousin and her boyfriend, Kevin Milton, arranged a meeting to buy the drugs for $1,400. Milton, Shirley and their girlfriends then drove to an apartment complex in South Fulton County to complete the purchase. The victims’ girlfriends waited in the vehicle as Milton and Shirley approached the two drug dealers.

During the transaction, the two victims were robbed. Shirley suffered three fatal gunshot wounds as he attempted to run away. The drug dealers physically assaulted Milton before he ran into a wooded area near the apartment complex and escaped. The case went cold for two years until police received information which helped them to identify Hardy as one of the assailants. Blood taken from the crime scene was compared to the defendant’s blood and confirmed Hardy as one of the combatants in this case.

Following the defendant’s conviction Monday, Judge Tom Campbell sentenced Hardy to life without the possibility of parole plus five years. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Rodney Atreopersaud and Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Morris. Fulton County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Thomas Webb assisted in the case. Retired Detective Dennis Wilson and Detective Scott Deemester from the Atlanta Police Department led the initial investigation.

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