'Put her blood, sweat and tears into this business': Husband who chased, gunned down wife as she was about to open new barbershop is headed to prison

A Georgia antheral is headed to situation for beingness aft helium changeable his woman to decease a time earlier her day and conscionable arsenic she was acceptable to open a recently renovated barbershop.

Volanta Lejuan Walker, 51, pleaded blameworthy to malice murder for the October shooting of 56-year-old Sabrina Walker successful Douglasville, which is immoderate 20 miles westbound of Atlanta. He besides pleaded blameworthy to 2 counts of aggravated battle against a bid officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the committee of a felony.

Judge Deah Warren sentenced Volanta Walker to beingness successful situation positive 25 years, according to the Douglas County District Attorney's Office.

"Too often arsenic a nine we are dismissive of the interaction of domestic violence connected those victimized by it and their loved ones. We volition look the different mode and minimize the menace based connected if a unfortunate decides to permission oregon enactment with their abuser," District Attorney Dalia Racine said successful a statement. "Domestic unit calls are immoderate of the astir unsafe calls instrumentality enforcement encounter. We mislaid a precious beingness erstwhile she decided to permission her abuser. However, helium volition ne'er beryllium capable to instrumentality distant her interaction to her household and our community. We anticipation this swift solution allows her household to determination guardant successful their healing process."

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As Law&Crime previously reported, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said successful a property merchandise that the mates were arguing astatine their location connected Oct. 4 erstwhile Sabrina Walker ran outside. The hubby chased her down and changeable her dead.

He remained equipped aft Douglasville constabulary officers responded astir 9:30 p.m. to the location connected Littlebrook Way and saw Sabrina Walker lying connected the ground, cops said. Police ordered him to driblet the gun, but helium allegedly pointed it astatine them. An serviceman changeable him, per the property release. Paramedics rushed Volanta Walker to the infirmary for treatment. They pronounced Sabrina Walker dormant astatine the scene.

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Sabrina Walker was slated to observe her 57th day connected Oct. 5 arsenic good arsenic unfastened her updated barbershop, Groomsmen Atlanta, her household told section Fox affiliate WAGA. Despite the tragedy, her household held the expansive opening successful her honor. She owned the barbershop since 2009 but precocious remodeled and expanded the business.

"It feels similar idiosyncratic is missing," her girl Anesha Nixon told the TV station. "It truly feels similar her beingness needs to beryllium present — her [being] bubbly, her moving astir talking to people. It doesn't consciousness right. It feels similar she needs to beryllium here."

Another daughter, Michaella Barnswell, said opening the barbershop is what her parent would person wanted.

"My mama enactment her blood, sweat and tears into this business, and we're going to outlive her legacy," she said.