NEWTON COUNTY—On Wednesday afternoon, a Newton County jury convicted Tyrese Smith for the murder of Baron Kilpatrick, Jr., also known as B.J., that took place nearly two years ago.
According to a news release from the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, Smith has been convicted of malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. These charges stem from the November 2023 murder of Kilpatrick.
On Nov. 3, 2023, officers with the Covington Police Department (CPD) responded to a shooting at the Covington Housing Authority on Alcovy Road. They found Kilpatrick inside, where he had been shot twice, in the head and the body.
Though Kilpatrick was transported to receive medical aid, he succumbed to his injuries.
The release states that information from the investigation, as well as evidence presented during the trial, established a narrative for the evening. It appears that Smith, Kilpatrick and other unidentified individuals were in a residence at the Housing Authority. Smith proceeded to rob one of the other individuals – with whom Kilpatrick was standing – of their firearm, at gunpoint. This is when Smith reportedly opened fire.
Smith fled the scene and was apprehended in DeKalb County on Nov. 7 by a combined effort of the CPD and the Georgia State Patrol SWAT Team. After executing a search warrant in a DeKalb County residence, Smith was apprehended “without incident.”
When interviewed by CPD detectives, Smith argued that he shot Kilpatrick in self-defense, claiming that he was the one being robbed. The District Attorney’s office refuted this.
“However, the crime scene investigation, the autopsy, and common-sense did not support the Defendant’s version of events,” the news release stated.
Jury selection took place on Aug. 4, and the trial ended Wednesday afternoon. According to the release, the jury deliberated for less than an hour before delivering guilty verdicts on all counts.
“The Defendant’s senseless violent use of a firearm led to Kilpatrick, a young man in his mid-20s losing his life,” said Newton County District Attorney Randy McGinley. “The Defendant, also a young man in his mid-20s now faces a minimum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. While this verdict does not bring BJ back, it shows the continued committed [sic] of the District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement to holding violent criminals responsible and bringing justice to victims and their families.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
