Woman Who Hunted Down Ex-Boyfriend and Shot Him in the Back Given to Life
Woman Who Hunted Down Ex-Boyfriend and Shot Him in the Back Given to Life
A woman will spend the rest of her life behind bars after she hunted down her former boyfriend and shot him as he walked away following an argument.
On August 9, 2020, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near the former Soni Food Mart building on Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Upon arrival, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound on a path behind the building.
The victim was identified as 24-year-old Dalvin Dishawn Thomas.
Authorities said Thomas had been shot in the femoral artery, a major blood vessel that runs through the thigh and leg. Before being transported to the hospital, Thomas told officers that 29-year-old Teryn Blakeney was responsible for the shooting. He later died from his injuries.
Investigators determined that Thomas and Blakeney had been in a relationship for approximately nine months before the relationship ended.
According to detectives, Blakeney asked Thomas to meet her at her apartment on the evening of the shooting. The two argued, and Blakeney later told investigators that she became “enraged.”
Thomas eventually left the apartment.
Authorities said Blakeney then armed herself with a .40 caliber handgun, got into her vehicle, and began driving around the area looking for him.
Investigators said she later found Thomas outside the store after he had walked away from the apartment. As Thomas walked away from her, Blakeney fired a single shot that struck him from behind.
Prosecutors said Blakeney left the scene after the shooting.
On August 10, 2020, Blakeney was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
Because the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case, the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.
During Blakeney’s five-day trial, prosecutors called 12 witnesses and introduced nearly 50 pieces of evidence, including surveillance video and Blakeney’s recorded interview with law enforcement.
On February 27, 2026, a jury found Blakeney guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
A DeKalb County Superior Court judge later sentenced Blakeney to life in prison plus five years.
Family members of Thomas spoke during sentencing, describing the profound loss his death has caused and saying nothing could replace the life that was taken.
— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage
