DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Decatur man will spend the rest of his life in prison after prosecutors say he shot and killed a man who gave his ex-girlfriend a ride home from work.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that a DeKalb County jury found Aaron La Var Beckles,49, guilty in the murder of Isaac Jackson Jr., 47.
Jurors convicted Beckles on charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon connected to the December 4, 2024, shooting.
Prosecutors said Beckles had been in a tumultuous relationship with a woman for several months before the deadly encounter. Investigators said the woman blocked Beckles on her phone the morning of the shooting after repeated calls and texts asking to see her.
That evening, Jackson, a friend of the woman, drove her home from work. Authorities said the two sat in the driveway eating takeout dinner before the woman got out of the car to head inside.
That’s when prosecutors say Beckles pulled into the driveway, blocking Jackson’s vehicle.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Couple caught on I-85 during child exploitation probe
- High school student shot at school bus stop in DeKalb County
- Runner’s raised hand at finish line costs Charlotte team state high school track title
According to investigators, Beckles confronted the woman and knocked takeout containers from her hands before she ran toward the house for safety. As she waited for a family member to unlock the door, she saw Beckles chasing Jackson moments before gunshots rang out.
When DeKalb County police arrived, they found Jackson dead in the driver’s seat of his car. Beckles had left the scene.
Investigators later uncovered text messages sent from Beckles’ phone minutes before the shooting that read, “either call me back or I’m about to pull up.”
After the shooting, prosecutors said Beckles sent another message saying, “I’m sorry, I love you, call me please.”
Police arrested Beckles two days later. Authorities also used cellphone data that placed him near the woman’s home at the time of the killing.
Following the guilty verdict, A judge sentenced Beckles to life without the possibility of parole, plus five years.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]