DeKalb DA Seeking Death Penalty For MARTA Stop Murder

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The DeKalb County District Attorney has announced that his office plans to seek the death penalty should the man charged with the murder of a 19-year-old woman at a MARTA bus stop in Lithonia be convicted of the crime.

Christopher Merrit, 18, was indicted on Feb. 6 for the Nov. 23, 2014 killing of Marcaysia Dawkins, 19. He faces charges including malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault, according to prosecutors. WSB-TV reported Wednesday that DA Robert James had decided to seek capital punishment in Merrit’s trial.

According to the indictment, Merritt approached Dawkins at a Fairington Road MARTA stop on Nov. 23, 2014. While waiting at the bus stop, Merrit approached Dawkins and tried to steal her handbag. During the struggle, court documents allege that Merritt fatally shot Dawkins twice with a 9mm handgun and fled the scene with the victim’s belongings.

Dawkins was a recent Lithonia High School graduate who worked at a child-care center and planned to join the Navy.

Authorities said Merritt is a suspect in other crimes dating back to 2013 that include at least four victims.

In addition to murder, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Merritt was charged with three counts of rape, three counts of armed robbery, one count of aggravated sodomy, one count of aggravated assault, one count of aggravated sexual battery and three counts of false imprisonment.