Tellis Demetrius Fort, 39, known as Red, was shot outside his South 12th Street home in Cordele, Georgia, on the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2015, and died shortly after at Crisp Regional Hospital. He worked as a clothing salesman and was a father.

Investigators say Fort interrupted two men who were planning to burglarize his house. Two suspects were arrested in St. Marys, Georgia: Keontay Miller and Conardo Dennard, who was identified as Fort’s cousin. Dennard was charged with felony murder, pleaded guilty, and received a life sentence. Miller was tried on charges including malice murder; he was convicted and later filed an appeal that led to correction of two sentencing errors.