In the quiet town of Cordele, Georgia, the life of Tellis Demetrius Fort, a 39-year-old man, was brought to a tragic and abrupt end on the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2015. Known affectionately as 'Red,' Fort was a clothing salesman and a father. On that fateful day, he was shot outside of his residence on South 12th Street and succumbed to his injuries shortly after at Crisp Regional Hospital.
The investigation into Fort's death moved forward over the following weeks, culminating in the apprehension of two suspects in St. Marys, Georgia. Keontay Miller and Conardo Dennard were taken into custody and subsequently charged with felony murder in connection with the shooting. Authorities believe that Fort had interrupted the men as they were planning to burglarize his home. In a surprising turn of events, it was revealed that one of the accused, Conardo Dennard, was the victim's cousin.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of resolution to the case. Conardo Dennard pleaded guilty to his role in the murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Keontay Miller, on the other hand, went to trial, which was scheduled to begin with jury selection in February 2016. He was ultimately convicted of malice murder and other offenses related to the shooting death of Tellis Fort. Following his conviction, Miller filed an appeal, but his convictions were largely upheld in a 2021 decision by the Georgia Supreme Court, which did identify and correct two sentencing errors.
