A Georgia man accused of fatally shooting an intruder Monday morning at his father’s home has been charged with murder, officials said.
Terrance Medina, 39, was charged in connection with the shooting and taken to DeKalb County jail, police said. The victim had not yet been identified.
The incident happened around 8 a.m. at a home on the 1700 block of Ponce De Leon Drive, a local CBS affiliate reported. Mr. Medina is the homeowner’s son who was checking on the property while his father was out of the country. Neighbors said the home had been boarded up and vacant for a while, but they had noticed suspicious activity in recent months.
Neighbor Bonnie Wolf called the homeowner to say someone was squatting in the home, and the homeowner sent his son over to investigate, CBS reported.
Police said the victim entered with the intention to rob the home. Mr. Medina allegedly shot the man upon entering the home and then called police, authorities said.
“This case will be thrown out by a grand jury,” J. Tom Morgan, a former Dekalb County prosecutor, told CBS. “Georgia is a defend your castle state, which means you have the right to use deadly force to prevent anyone from entering your home. Even though it’s his father’s home, he has a right to be there, a right to protect that home, just as anyone else would.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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