Kirkwood Man Convicted of Sexual Assault on Neighbor, Receives Life Sentence

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced on Wednesday, May 15, a conviction by jury trial in the case against a Kirkwood man accused of sexually assaulting a neighbor in her own home.

The jury found Eric Haygood, 61, guilty on charges of Rape, two counts of Aggravated Sodomy, and Aggravated Assault Strangulation, all stemming from an incident on February 1, 2022.

According to the investigation, officers from the Atlanta Police Department responded to a Kirkwood home following a report of sexual assault. The victim, a woman in her 50s, informed officers that she had encountered Haygood earlier in the morning while walking her dog. Haygood, a former resident of the neighborhood, approached her seeking a favor.

Once inside the victim’s home around 8:30 a.m., Haygood attacked her, assaulting and strangling her, and demanding intercourse. Despite her efforts to resist, the victim was unable to prevent the assault. Before leaving, Haygood expressed concern, stating, “I’m in trouble,” and hugged the victim.

Haygood had faced similar charges in 2007 for an incident in the same neighborhood, but was acquitted by a DeKalb County jury.

Following the guilty verdicts, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Parker-Smith sentenced Haygood to Life Without the Possibility of Parole plus 20 years to serve consecutively.

The case was handled by the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit, led by Senior Assistant District Attorney Paige Boorman with assistance from Senior ADA Elizabeth Tarver, DA Investigator Andre Williams, and Victim Advocate Tina Williamson. Atlanta Police Department Detective Fernkorn and former Officer Murray, now an SVU Detective, led the initial investigation.