( COWETA COUNTY, GA ) – On May 20th, 2024, a Coweta County Jury returned a guilty verdict against Derrious Bernard Daniel, 22 ( 20 at the time of the murder ) for his role in the February 2023 murder of Dustin Parrott.
Daniel was sentenced to Life in Prison without the chance of Parole on the most serious charge, Felony Murder.
Daniel is the first of two defendants expected to go to trial for the murder, while 6 other defendants have taken plea deals in the case.
Just before 11 PM on the night of February 17th, 2023, E911 received a call for a shooting in the area of 22 Cliff Circle in Newnan of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Officers with the Newnan Police Department as well as the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene where they found Dustin Scott Parrott, 32, of Tyrone, dead in the front seat of his vehicle from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Units arriving on the scene would be told by witnesses that they saw multiple suspects running from the scene just after hearing a gunshot, leading units to a residence on a nearby street.
According to prosecutors, Daniel, as well as another defendant, Camaron Shamar Favors, who was 15 at the time of the murder, worked in concert throughout the day of the 17th to set up a meeting with Parrott to purchase marijuana. In reality, they were planning to rob Parrott of an AR-15 Rifle. When Parrott drove to the meeting at Cliff Circle, he was confronted by Daniel, Favors, and the other 6 defendants and robbed. In the commission of the robbery, Daniel shot Parrott once in the chest, killing him.
Booking records show that the next day Daniel was arrested by the Grantville Police Department on misdemeanor charges of Battery Simple and Child Cruelty after GPD officers responded to a family dispute at a residence off Jenny Rd. At this time Daniel hadn’t been identified in the murder investigation and he was able to bond out after just shy of 8 hours in the Coweta County Jail.
His freedom however would be short-lived with investigators arresting him days later on the 23rd. He was charged with Murder, Robbery Armed with a Firearm, Assualt Aggravated with a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm/Knife during the commission of a crime. He has remained in the Coweta County Jail without bond since that arrest.
Indicted Charges (Count)
- Conspiracy To Commit Robbery
- Armed Robbery
Armed Robbery (Nolle Prosequi)- Aggravated Assault
- Aggravated Assault
- Aggravated Assault
- Poss Of Firearm During Commission Of Felony
- Felony Murder
- Criminal Attempt To Purchase Marijuana
- Poss Of Firearm During Commission Of Felony
- Felony Murder
Jury Verdict & Sentence (Count)
Daniel was found guilty on counts 1,2,4, and 7. They were merged with counts with like charges for sentencing. The sentences below are for the charge named in that account as well as the merged count.
Count 5 – 20 years to Serve
Count 6 – 20 Years to Serve Concurrent with Count 5
Count 8 – Life without Parole
Case proceedings show that J. Ryan Brown, Daniel’s Lawyer, filed a motion with the court on May 21st, 2024 seeking a new trial.