A 28-year-old man from Rome, Georgia, has been convicted of murdering two half-sisters.
The conviction came on November 21, 2023, after a jury in Alabama found Desmond Lavonta Brown guilty of the murders of Vanita Richardson, 18, and Truvenia Campbell, 30, which he committed under the false impression that the sisters had stolen his wallet during his birthday party.
The incident occurred on May 12, 2020, at Brown’s home in Rome, Georgia, but the trial was held in Alabama, where authorities believe the killings occurred.
Brown’s shocking realization of the mistake came after his mother found the wallet behind his television. GBI Special Agent Ghee Wilson reported that his reaction was a remorseful acknowledgment of his actions. The jury delivered their verdict in less than an hour, sentencing Brown to life without parole after considering 130 pieces of evidence and 33 witnesses during the seventh trial.
The case’s details emerged during the trial. Co-defendant Christopher Pullen, 26, testified that he, Brown, and another co-defendant, Devin Watts, 40, lured the women into their car under the guise of a drug deal. Brown then questioned the two women about his wallet before shooting them. Their bodies were later found dumped off a bridge over the Etowah River in Rome, their heads covered with bags.
Summer Summerford, the district attorney of DeKalb and Cherokee Counties in Alabama, acknowledged the extensive collaboration in the investigation and prosecution, acknowledging the emotional toll on the families of the victims.
As the case concludes, Pullen and Watts remain in custody at the Cherokee County Jail in Alabama.
