In a quiet Marietta, Georgia neighborhood, the life of 59-year-old Douglas Wayne Attaway, a Caucasian male, came to a tragic and unexpected end on Saturday, September 29, 2018. What initially appeared to be a home invasion quickly unraveled into a story of familial betrayal. The first report of the incident came from Douglas's own son, 24-year-old Daniel Walden Attaway, who called 911 to report finding his father shot to death in the basement of their Hardage Farm Drive home.
When police arrived, they found Douglas Attaway deceased from gunshot wounds.
The initial narrative provided by Daniel Attaway began to crumble as Marietta police delved deeper into the investigation. Within days, evidence pointed not to an unknown intruder, but to the man who had made the emergency call. Investigators discovered that Douglas Attaway had been shot in what was described as an 'execution-style' murder, with a fatal shot between his eyes. The murder weapon was identified as a 9mm handgun from the family's own collection. The motive for this shocking act of patricide was reported to be an argument over Daniel's future; his father had told him to get a job or move out of the family home.
The investigation culminated in the arrest of Daniel Attaway on October 2, 2018. He was subsequently charged with murder, aggravated assault with the intent to murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. The case took a significant turn when Daniel confessed to his mother and sister that he was the one who had killed his father. This confession, coupled with the evidence gathered by police, solidified the case against him.
In March 2022, Daniel Walden Attaway entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill to one count of malice murder. He was sentenced to 50 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison. The sentence also stipulated that he would be under mental health supervision for the duration of his time in custody and during his subsequent probation. This plea and sentencing brought a legal conclusion to a case that had devastated a family and shaken a community.
