In the quiet evening of February 19, 2020, Tesfaye Birru, a 57-year-old man of Ethiopian descent, was locking up his convenience store, the Tic Toc Food Mart on Evans Mill Road in Lithonia, Georgia, for the night. His wife of 23 years, Worke Serete, was at home, expecting his call to say he was on his way. Tragically, he would never make it home. As he exited the store, keys still in hand, he was ambushed in the parking lot in what police believe was an attempted armed robbery.
Three masked men had driven into the parking lot with their vehicle's lights off, lying in wait. One of the men, later identified as Ronnie Miller, ran towards Birru. When Birru attempted to draw his own legally carried firearm, Miller shot him. A second assailant then emerged from behind an ice bin and shot Birru in the head, killing him instantly. The three men then fled the scene in a burgundy Honda Accord. When police arrived, they found Birru deceased in the parking lot, his own gun and holster lying nearby.
The community was shaken by the loss of a man described as incredibly kind and generous. Patrons and neighbors remembered 'Mr. T,' as he was affectionately known, as someone who would give you the shirt off his back and often let people who were short on cash take groceries, telling them to pay him back when they could. His 14-year-old son, Amanuel Chernet, described his father as the 'best dad anyone could ever have,' someone who made sure everyone left his store with a smile.
The investigation into Birru's murder led to the arrest of two suspects: Ronnie Miller, 46, and Ricky Character, 24. Surveillance footage and cell phone data were crucial in identifying them. A search of Miller's car revealed clothing that matched the description of one of the shooters. Investigators also found incriminating statements made by Character on social media. The two men were also linked to a similar robbery that had occurred in a neighboring county.
On July 1, 2024, a DeKalb County jury found both Miller and Character guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Miller was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 45 years. Character also received a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, with an additional 35 years. The third suspect involved in the murder has never been identified.
