Snellville Man Convicted in Fatal Beating Case, Sentenced to Life in Prison

In a recent development, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston has announced a conviction in a case involving the fatal beating of a man in Snellville. Following a jury trial on Monday, 22-year-old Jaheim Sims was found guilty on multiple charges, including Felony Murder, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, in connection with the attack on 56-year-old Mario Vasquez Lopez on September 10, 2020.

Additionally, Sims’s co-defendant, as part of a plea deal, pleaded guilty to charges of Aggravated Battery, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer.

The incident unfolded when officers from the Doraville Police Department responded to reports of an assault on Tilly Mill Road shortly before midnight. Upon arrival, they discovered Vasquez Lopez severely beaten and unresponsive. He was rushed to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment, where it was determined that he had suffered severe brain injuries.

Eyewitnesses recounted seeing two men assaulting Vasquez Lopez, even after he lost consciousness. The attackers were later apprehended by law enforcement officers, who recovered firearms discarded by the defendants during their attempt to flee.

Investigations revealed that the attack was unprovoked and random, with no apparent connection between Vasquez Lopez and the assailants. Despite undergoing multiple medical procedures, Vasquez Lopez never recovered and remained unconscious until his passing in October 2022.

In response to the guilty verdicts, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Stacey Hydrick sentenced Jaheim Sims to Life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional five years. The co-defendant received a 30-year sentence, with 20 years to be served in confinement and the remainder on probation.