Man who killed taxi driver after ride in 2015 faces life in prison

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A 36-year-old man who killed a taxi driver in 2015 faces life in prison when he’s sentenced Thursday afternoon.

Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds announced Wednesday that Justin Marquis Graves was convicted of killing 65-year-old Michael Bemus.

It took jurors about an hour to convict Graves of killing Bemus on Aug. 6, 2015, after Bemus had given Graves a ride in his taxi.

Graves needed money for his motel room and was captured on video shortly after the murder paying $41 at Allround Suites on Northwest Parkway in Marietta. The state argued it was blood money.

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Graves took the stand in his own defense and admitted he initially lied to police. At one point during testimony, he yelled at Chief Assistant District Attorney Jesse Evans, “I object to you being born.”

Graves was convicted of all seven charges against him, including malice murder.

“This was a senseless crime perpetrated by a convicted felon with a history of violence,” Evans said. “The Bemus family took some measure of solace in the fact that their loved one’s killer was finally held accountable for his crimes.”

Graves will be sentenced Thursday at 2 p.m.

Cox Media Group