MARTA Stop Murder: Teen Indicted in Woman's Death

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A DeKalb County grand jury has indicted Christopher Merritt, 18, for the fatal shooting of a Lithonia woman waiting at a bus stop.

According to the indictment, Merritt approached Marcaysia Dawkins, 19, of Lithonia 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.

Merrit faces various felony counts including malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault, according to prosecutors.

“It’s truly a disturbing thought that Ms. Dawkins could have been anyone on any given day. The life of a vibrant, young and hardworking 19-year-old woman was taken away in broad daylight,” said District Attorney Robert James in a Friday statement.

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

She was found by police critically injured on the bench at the bus stop, reports WSB TV.

Dawkins was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she died a few hours later, according to the medical examiner’s office, reportsExaminer.com.

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.

While both the suspect and victim lived in Lithonia, police told the media there is no evidence they knew one another.

»PHOTO: Screenshot via WSB TV of Marcaysia Dawkins

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