On a quiet Sunday evening, the life of 46-year-old Danyel Sims was tragically cut short in an act of brutal violence that also claimed the life of her 22-year-old daughter, Crystal Williams. The devastating events unfolded on September 6, 2020, at the Dunwoody Glen Apartments in an Atlanta suburb. As Danyel, her daughter, her 18-year-old son Malachi Williams, and another teenager were leaving the apartment complex in their SUV, they were ambushed.
The estranged boyfriend of Crystal,
23-year-old Justin Deion Turner, allegedly blocked their vehicle with his own before exiting with a firearm and opening fire. In a final act of maternal love, Danyel attempted to shield her children from the barrage of bullets. Both Danyel and Crystal were fatally wounded in the attack. Danyel was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, while Crystal was pronounced dead at the scene. Malachi sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and the fourth occupant of the vehicle, a younger teenager, was physically unharmed.
The day following the shooting, law enforcement apprehended Justin Deion Turner in Atlanta. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Investigations and witness testimony from the surviving son, Malachi, pointed to the recent breakup between Turner and Crystal Williams as the motive for the deadly assault. Malachi recounted the terrifying moments of the attack and his mother’s heroic efforts to save her children. The tragic loss of Danyel Sims and her daughter resonated deeply within their community, leaving behind a grieving family to navigate the aftermath of a senseless act of violence.
