In the quiet suburbs of Stone Mountain, Georgia, the life of a dedicated mother of five was tragically cut short in an act of violence that shattered the morning calm. On March 30, 2018, Sharika Bowman, a 35-year-old licensed practical nurse who was diligently studying to become a registered nurse, was fatally shot in her own driveway. Ms. Bowman, a female, had just returned home from an appointment and was preparing to take her oldest son to school when she was ambushed.
The harrowing event unfolded around 10 a.m. on Wyndham Drive. As Sharika Bowman sat in her SUV, her boyfriend, 30-year-old Keitran Foots, approached the vehicle and fired multiple shots, striking and killing her. Inside the home, Bowman's teenage son heard the gunshots and tragically discovered his mother in the vehicle, prompting a call to 911. The gunman, Foots, who lived with Bowman and her children, fled the scene in a black Hyundai Genesis, sparking a manhunt.
In the days following the shooting, law enforcement tracked Keitran Foots to North Carolina. DeKalb County authorities pinged his cellphone, leading officers to his location. After a brief pursuit, Foots was apprehended and taken into custody. He was subsequently extradited back to Georgia to face charges for the murder of his girlfriend.
In October 2018, a DeKalb County grand jury indicted Foots on charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault family violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His trial concluded with a jury finding him guilty on all counts. For the malice murder of Sharika Bowman, Keitran Foots was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His legal appeals, which included a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence and jury instructions, were ultimately unsuccessful, with the Supreme Court of Georgia affirming the judgment.
