DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — More than one year after a Douglasville great-grandmother was found dead inside her apartment, the man charged in her death has been sentenced to life without parole.
Odes Dupree, 54, was found guilty Tuesday of two counts of felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping, robbery and burglary in the first degree in Douglas County Superior Court.
Dupree was convicted of tying up 75-year-old Florene Duke before stealing her television sets in November 2014.
Douglasville Police Chief Chris Womack said Duke's face had been covered, causing her to asphyxiate and die on the floor of her bedroom.
Prosecutors said Dupree stole Duke's property in order to sell it for money to buy cocaine.
Dupree maintains his innocence.
“I want the family to know that I honestly didn’t cause your mother or your grandmother’s death,” he said to Duke’s family in court. “That wasn’t me. I didn’t do that, and the person who did is still walking the street.”
Douglas County District Attorney Brian Fortner said there was a mountain of evidence showing Dupree was guilty.
“Odes Dupree is a murderer and he killed Florene Duke and there is zero doubt about that,” he said.
Judge William McClain called Dupree a career criminal and a habitual liar and sentenced him to life without parole plus 60 years.
Duke’s family is satisfied that Dupree got the maximum sentence.
“He’s getting what’s coming to him in the justice here on Earth and he will get what’s coming to him when the Lord judges him as well,” Brian Ascar said.
Dupree plans to appeal the verdict
Cox Media Group
