Lithonia man sentenced to life for gas station murder

William Cooper, 21, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 28-year-old Delantay Johnson at a Lithonia gas station in March 2025.

According to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston, Cooper was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Investigators determined that following an argument earlier in the day, Cooper circled the gas station in a vehicle and fired shots at Johnson from his car window. Surveillance footage showed Johnson attempting to crawl toward a convenience store for help, at which point Cooper exited his vehicle and shot him several more times.

While Cooper claimed he acted in self-defense, citing that Johnson had threatened him and possessed a weapon, surveillance video confirmed that Johnson never drew his firearm during the encounter.