Man In Fatal Stone Mountain Shooting Sentenced To Prison: DA

DECATUR — An Atlanta accused of shooting to death a 50-year-old man in a Stone Mountain motel has been convicted and sentenced to prison, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston's office announced Tuesday in a news release.

A DeKalb County jury on Thursday found Asa Seeley, 40, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana, according to the release.

Seeley was accused of shooting James Morton Jr. around 10 p.m., Sept. 19, 2021 in a Memorial Drive hotel. When officers arrived, they found Morton dead in the hallway with multiple gunshot wounds in his back, according to the release.

Video surveillance showed Morton walking to Seeley's motel, and then shaking heads with someone inside of the room before walking away, according to the release. Seeley was accused of then leaving the room and stopping Morton.

"The two appeared to have a verbal altercation and Defendant Seeley pulled out a gun and pointed it at Morton, who was unarmed. Morton tried to back away from Defendant Seeley. Less than a minute later, Defendant Seeley started to shoot at Morton. Morton ran around a corner towards the motel elevator to escape, but Defendant Seeley followed and fired shots into Morton’s back," the district attorney's office said in the release.

Seeley returned to his motel room before leaving in a gold Acura, according to the release.

Chamblee Police arrested Seeley the next day. The district attorney's office said he was wearing the same clothing as seen in the surveillance footage and was driving the same Acura. Several plastic bags of drugs and a rental agreement for the motel room were found in the car.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Shondeana Morris, who presided over the trial, sentenced Seeley to life without parole plus 35 years, according to the release.