Greetings,

The weather may be getting cooler, but we’re as busy as ever at the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office! Fall is a wonderful time for my team and I to get out in the community, meet people where they are, and foster connections with our office.

Recently I have had opportunities to meet with neighbors at National Night Out celebrations, share information about the work of the DA’s Office with members of the DeKalb County Police Department Citizens Academy, connect with faith leaders and law enforcement at Faith and Blue gatherings, and hear from retailers during National Store Walk Month about the unique challenges they face.

I’m also proud to announce that we celebrated the milestone of 75 young adults who have graduated from our STRIDE (Stopping Trends of Repeat Incarceration with Diversion and Education) pre-trial diversion program since it began in 2019.

As the holiday season approaches, I’m reflecting on my gratitude for the dedicated staff who work alongside me, this wonderful community, and the opportunity you’ve given me to serve as your DeKalb County District Attorney. It is my honor and my privilege to serve you.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!

Sincerely,

District Attorney

DeKalb Judicial Circuit

DA Boston and the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force announced the identification of Jamal Toliaferro, 45, the suspect in three previously unsolved cases in the Tucker area dating back more than a decade. 

The DA’s Office obtained arrest warrants for charges related to 2014, 2019 and 2024 crimes including Rape, Kidnapping with Bodily Injury, Aggravated Assault, False Imprisonment, Armed Robbery, and Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Felony, among other charges.

The crimes include a December 2014 sexual assault at a house in the 3100 block of Evelyn Street, a January 2019 sexual assault at an apartment complex in the 2100 block of Northlake Parkway, and the March 2024 kidnapping and assault of a 67-year-old woman who was held captive for hours while the defendant drove around attempting to withdraw money from ATMs with her bank cards. DNA was collected from each of the scenes and in 2025 all three crimes were linked to an unknown individual.

The DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force determined that the 2019 DNA sample was a good candidate for Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG). FIGG is a process where scientists take DNA from an unknown person and use law enforcement accessible genealogy databases to locate possible relatives who share DNA with the unknown individual. Traditional investigative techniques are then used to narrow the suspect pool and attempt to identify the individual in question. FIGG requires a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, profile, as opposed to an STR (short tandem repeats) profile. In January 2026 a searchable SNP profile from the offender's blood recovered in the 2019 sexual assault was developed.

While FIGG was ongoing, a fatal stabbing occurred in the 3100 block of Evelyn Street in Tucker in July 2026. Defendant Toliaferro was taken into custody after evidence connected him to the homicide. He was charged with Malice Murder, Criminal Trespass and Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers in connection with the murder of Kenyon Jeffries, 30. As part of the homicide investigation, police obtained a search warrant for Toliaferro’s DNA. DKPD notified the Cold Case Task Force after identifying physical similarities between Toliaferro and victim descriptions of the unidentified Tucker serial offender, as well as similar fact patterns and locations of the crimes.

Cold Case Task Force investigators obtained a search warrant for a SNP comparison between Toliaferro’s DNA and the unknown perpetrator in the 2019 case. The SNP-to-SNP comparison matched Toliaferro to the 2019 SNP profile.

Toliaferro has been held without bond in the DeKalb County Jail since he was taken into custody in July.



Read more about the facts of the cases, the partnerships and the funding that made Toliaferro’s identification possible.

DA Boston announced the indictment of Julius Hunter, 42, by a DeKalb County Grand Jury on charges of Rape, Aggravated Sodomy, and Kidnapping connected to a July 2016 assault. Hunter is accused of luring a 19-year-old woman to an apartment by posting an advertisement on Craigslist for an overnight babysitter. 

Defendant Hunter offered the victim $300 to spend the night watching his children and ordered her a ride-share car that dropped her off at an apartment complex near 700 Jolly Avenue in Clarkston. The victim tried to leave when she found there were no children there, but Hunter stopped her, assaulting and raping her over the course of several hours before letting her go the next day.

DNA from a sexual assault kit collected at the hospital matched to two other cases with an unknown perpetrator and eventually led to the identification of Hunter when his DNA was collected for a Sexual Battery case in Florida. Defendant Hunter was extradited from Florida and is being held in the DeKalb County Jail without bond.

The fact patterns of the cases are very similar. The perpetrator lured victims using Craigslist ads soliciting women for jobs such as babysitting, modeling, dancing and massages. Some of the victims met him at the same Jolly Avenue apartment. Investigators believe Defendant Hunter may also have additional unknown victims.

Read more about the facts of the case and Hunter’s identification.

DA Boston, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the FBI Atlanta Field Office and the DeKalb County Police Department announced the indictment of a former DeKalb County Police officer in connection with a cold case investigation into the assault of two teenage girls in 2011. 

Late one evening in October 2011, a 17-year-old girl ran to an apartment complex on Lumby Drive and knocked on a door for help. The teenager told responding officers that she and a 16-year-old friend had been walking through Exchange Park when a man came up behind them and told them not to turn around because he had a gun. He took their belongings and ordered them to undress and lie face down on the ground. He touched her and her friend inappropriately, then ordered the 17-year-old to get up and run away naked, warning her that if she turned around, he would shoot her.

Just after 2 a.m. the next morning, officers responded to a call at an apartment complex off Panola Road in Stonecrest, about eight miles from Exchange Park, where the man had dropped off the 16-year-old victim. She told officers that the man had ordered her into his silver Dodge Charger and to keep her head down. He drove her to a home where he raped her and forced her to perform oral sex at gunpoint. After the assault, he tried to destroy evidence by making the teenager take a shower. A sexual assault exam recovered male DNA, but there was no match to a suspect at the time.

In April 2026, the FBI arrested Sgt. Cameron Livsey on one count of Intent to View Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct. Livsey resigned in lieu of termination from DKPD following his federal arrest. Under federal law, suspects arrested on federal charges have a DNA sample taken. In late August, the DA’s Office was notified that Livsey’s DNA was a match to the 2011 cold case rape. 

A DeKalb County Grand Jury indicted Cameron Livsey, 47, on charges of Rape, Aggravated Sodomy, two counts of Kidnapping, two counts of Armed Robbery, two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, two counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.

Read more about the facts of the case and Livsey’s identification.

Anyone who believes they have information about defendants Toliaferro, Hunter or Livsey and their alleged crimes, or that they may have been victimized by one of these men is encouraged to call the District Attorney’s Tip Line at:

Tip Line: 404-371-2444

This fall DA Boston offered a second chance to 15 young adults who graduated from the sixth cohort of her STRIDE pretrial diversion program. Since the program’s inception in 2019, 75 graduates have benefitted from the STRIDE program.

STRIDE, which stands for Stopping Trends of Repeat Incarceration with Diversion and Education, is a voluntary diversion program that holds young adults accountable for serious non-violent crimes they have committed, while also ensuring their civic and career opportunities remain intact.

STRIDE participants range from 17-24 years old and are required to take part in a series of interventions and educational opportunities. In exchange for successfully completing the 12-month program, the District Attorney will dismiss their charges.

“In the last six years, 75 young adults have graduated from the STRIDE program with new job opportunities, self-confidence, and a renewed sense of civic responsibility,” said DA Boston. “I believe in them, and I look forward to their future success.”

Dr. LaDena Bolton, DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner, spoke at the recent graduation ceremony.

Amir Gilbert, a graduate of the sixth cohort, was chosen by program administrators to represent his fellow participants and also offered words of encouragement at the ceremony.

“STRIDE helps build your confidence, while also helping you mentally with anything you need,” Gilbert said. “It wasn’t easy, so I’m also proud of my fellow participants that made it through and helping me get through it as well.”

During the STRIDE program Gilbert participated in WorkSource DeKalb’s Work Experience (WEX) program and received hands-on experience with the DeKalb County Sanitation Department. Through the placement, he gained valuable experience in a professional work environment, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate his skills and abilities. Just six weeks into WEX, Gilbert was offered a job.



Read more about STRIDE eligibility and the requirements of the program, as well as the staff members and community partners who make the program possible.

12th Annual Love Run 5K

DA Boston invites you to join her for the 12th Annual Love Run 5K on Saturday, February 27, 2027, in Downtown Decatur.

Register today to take advantage of the $40 Early Bird Rate through December 31, 2026!

In October, the District Attorney’s Office recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Since its inception, the Love Run 5K has raised more than $160,000 for In Safe Company, formerly known as the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence.

In Safe Company helps survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with emergency shelter and stable housing, legal assistance, sexual assault services including forensic exams, mental health and wellness programming, and other ongoing support.

Learn more about In Safe Company.

United Against Hate Week

In October, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office stood with the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and prosecution offices throughout the country in recognizing United Against Hate Week.

The DA’s Office believes everyone in our community deserves to feel safe. Hate crimes don't just harm individuals — they harm entire communities. The office is dedicated to prosecuting these crimes, but hate crimes are often underreported.

In 2020, Georgia enacted House Bill 426, the Georgia Enhanced Penalties for Hate Crimes Act. HB 426 provides stronger penalties for individuals who target victims because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability. It also requires local law enforcement agencies to collect data on hate crime investigations and provide “Bias Crime Reports” to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is essential for effective enforcement of the law.

Reporting hate crimes to your local law enforcement agency is a critical step toward accountability.

Learn more about hate crimes.

Insight from Fair and Just Prosecution Fellow

Jon’Dasha Price, Fair and Just Prosecution Summer Fellow with the District Attorney's Office, shared a thoughtful reflection of the time she spent with the office and what she learned from the experience in a blog post for the Fair and Just Prosecution website.

Beyond the Verdict: Justice Is More Than a Conviction

By Jon’Dasha Price

Before I ever stepped foot in law school, I knew I wanted to become a prosecutor. But I also knew that I wanted to be part of changing the way our criminal justice system operates. My interest in prosecution was never rooted solely in securing convictions or obtaining lengthy sentences. Instead, I believed that prosecutors, entrusted with tremendous discretion and responsibility, could play a transformative role in creating a system that prioritizes fairness, accountability, and compassion.

That belief is what drew me to Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) and ultimately led me to spend my summer as an FJP Summer Fellow with the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office in Georgia. As someone who entered law school passionate about criminal justice reform, I was eager to see what those principles looked like beyond academic discussions and policy proposals. My summer in the office’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (DV/SA) Unit provided that opportunity and reinforced something I had believed long before law school: justice is about far more than securing a conviction.

Throughout the summer, I conducted legal research, reviewed evidence, and observed hearings and trials. These experiences allowed me to move beyond the legal doctrines I had studied during my first year of law school and better understand the responsibilities prosecutors carry. While law school teaches us to analyze facts, identify legal issues, and apply the law, my internship reminded me that behind every case file and courtroom proceeding are real people whose lives are affected by the criminal justice system.

Read Jon’Dasha's full blog post.

The Real Murders of Atlanta

He faced felony charges. Now, DeKalb is giving him a second chance.

DeKalb County man accused of running over wife with truck

Fight over cellphone leads to deadly DeKalb ghost gun shooting

Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Parking Services Employee Over Car Boot

Decatur Man Sentenced to Life After Guilty Plea in Cold Case Rape Dating Back Three Decades

Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole After Conviction for Double Murder at Extended Stay

New York Man Convicted of Murder After Argument Inside Brookhaven Tattoo Shop



Recidivist Sentenced to 20 Years Without Parole for Shooting Man at Gas Station Who Asked Him for a Dollar

To read about more news from the DA’s Office,

visit the News section of the website.

“Thank you to Emory Law and the Alumni Association for this extraordinary honor, and to those who stand alongside me in this work. I accept this award with gratitude and a renewed sense of responsibility to use my voice, make room for others, and help ensure that the next generation of women has even greater opportunities to serve and lead.”



DKPD Community Partnership Award

Peggy Rémy, who serves as a Victim Advocate with the Human Trafficking and Internet Crimes Unit, received the Community Partnership Award from the DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) during their Employee and Community Partner Appreciation Rodeo. Peggy was recognized for her involvement with the Police Athletic League Young Women’s Empowerment Program, as well as her partnership and commitment to strengthening our community. 

UNITY in the Community

TyShawn Jackson, Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Firearm Violence Prevention Unit, served as a panelist at the Second Annual UNITY in the CommUNITY: DeKalb Edition. The event is the region’s signature violence prevention convening where community organizations, youth, researchers, faith leaders, public sector partners, healthcare professionals, educators, businesses, and residents come together to foster unity, strengthen partnerships, and advance collective action for safer, thriving communities across Metro Atlanta. The topic of the panel was Building Safer Communities through Collaboration, Prevention and Restoration. Panelists explored how stronger cross-sector collaboration can prevent violence and build safer communities.