In the late hours of May 3, 2023, 36-year-old Dorian Bennett, a female resident of the Atlanta area and a mother of four, was discovered in her vehicle on the side of Interstate 285 at the Lavista Road exit in Tucker, Georgia. Responding to reports of a person shot, DeKalb County police officers found her deceased inside the car, which was surprisingly still in drive. An examination by the medical examiner would later confirm that she had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators have stated their belief that the person who shot her was likely inside the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Known to her loved ones as 'Sky,' Dorian was remembered by her daughter as a 'loud, fun person' with a 'feisty side,' and as someone who possessed a big and beautiful heart. Her family described her as a 'beautiful soul' and a leader whom many looked up to. Having grown up in the foster care system, she had faced hardships but was remembered for her compassion and her ability to see the good in people. Shortly before her death, she had returned to Atlanta from an in-patient program aimed at addressing past traumas, and her best friend recalled her being the happiest she had ever been, feeling as though she was starting a 'victory lap.'
Nearly five months after Dorian Bennett's death, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office publicly identified 22-year-old Kristopher Brown of Lithonia as a suspect in her murder. A murder warrant was issued for his arrest, and authorities have described him as potentially being armed and dangerous, cautioning the public not to approach him. While it has not been confirmed whether Brown and Bennett knew each other, investigators suspect he was with her in the car when she was shot.
The motive for the shooting has not been released by investigators. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Unit has asked for the public's assistance in locating Kristopher Brown. A reward has been offered for information that leads to his arrest. Her four children, two boys and two girls, were left to navigate their grief in the wake of their mother's sudden and violent death.
