Marietta Police File Murder Charges in Cold Case

have charged a 26-year-old DeKalb County man with felony murder in connection with the 2008 shooting death of a 16-year-old boy.

The department’s Investigative Services Division had investigated the murder with few leads since that time until a tip from DeKalb County authorities broke open the 3-year-old cold case.

According to police, on July 22, 2008, about 9:45 p.m. two male juveniles were robbed at gunpoint by two unknown men at the corner of Allgood Road and Avery Street.  The robbery resulted in the shooting of one of the juveniles, Samuel “Dra” Steward, 16, who died a few hours later from a head wound. 

In late March, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office gave Marietta detectives information that led to the discovery of a witness in the killing. After an investigation, the detectives identified the suspected gunman and secured a felony murder warrant for Dequonist Marquez Lucas, 26, of DeKalb County.

Lucas has also been charged with armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with intent to murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent felony and malice murder. He is being held in the DeKalb County Jail on unrelated charges. 

The other man wanted in the murder case, described as a light-skinned black man, 6 feet tall with medium-length dreadlocks, is still at large. Marietta police detectives are actively searching for the man and for anyone with additional information about the murder.

Anyone with information on this case or the second culprit is asked to contact Marietta Police Detective Lindsey at 770-794-5369 or call the Marietta Police Tip Line at 770-794-6990.