Decatur Man Gets Life Sentences for Killing Pregnant Girlfriend

A Decatur man who shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend in February of 2013 will be spending the rest of his life behind bars, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

Carlo Simpson was convicted of felony murder, feticide, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony on Friday and received two consecutive life sentences plus additional five years at a hearing on Monday.

Simpson shot and killed Shikhira Dunson on Feb. 18, 2013 in the course of a domestic dispute outside his Decatur home. Also killed was Dunson’s 22-week-old unborn child. Dunson had just turned 20 years old, the DA’s Office said. The couple’s two-year-old child now lives with Dunson’s mother.

“In many situations we see domestic violence progress from verbal abuse and controlling behavior to physical abuse that sometimes end with the loss of a life. We all have to remain vigilant in combatting domestic violence in our community,” said District Attorney Robert James.