Shortly before dawn on November 2, 2019, gunfire was reported at a townhouse on Beaver Springs Lane in Norcross, Georgia. Gwinnett County police found two men dead from gunshot wounds inside: 55-year-old Derrick Dennis and his 30-year-old nephew Josh Dennis. The scene was investigated as a double homicide. Derrick Dennis was a Black male.

Investigators identified 30-year-old Karlton Sirmons of Norcross as a suspect and issued murder warrants, calling him armed and dangerous. The U.S. Marshals Service joined the search, a $5,000 reward was offered, and Sirmons, who had prior violent-crime warrants, remained a fugitive for months before his arrest on January 24, 2020. He was booked in Gwinnett County and charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the deaths.

Those who followed the trial noted the jury reached a not guilty verdict on the murder charges in 2022, with commentary from both the family’s camp and the defense about the case’s presentation and witness credibility.