Jury Convicts Greensboro Man in Roommate’s Murder in DeKalb County

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced a conviction by jury trial in the case against a Greensboro, NC man accused of shooting and killing his roommate near the Tucker home they shared.

On Thursday, July 18, jurors found Cedric Collins, 25, guilty on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony stemming from the murder of James Broadnax, 35, on October 20, 2023.

Friday, Senior Judge Daniel Coursey, who presided over the trial for the DeKalb County Superior Court, sentenced Defendant Collins to life in prison, plus five years.

According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls at around 8:30 p.m. about a person shot in the 3100 block of Westwood Drive. When officers arrived, they met with one of the callers who told them his friend had been shot. The man was standing next to a burgundy Dodge Charger, and police saw the victim, James Broadnax, motionless in the front passenger seat of the car. Officers noted several bullet holes in the driver’s side window and door.

The Charger was still running, and the doors were locked. First responders had to break into the car to pull Broadnax out. He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered 16 shell casings from the shooting.

Through witness statements, police learned Broadnax and Defendant Collins lived in a home on Westwood Drive together, along with two other men. All four of them worked for an appliance company moving washers and dryers in box trucks. Broadnax and Defendant Collins had gotten into an argument at their house, and Defendant Collins left in one of the box trucks. Broadnax then got into his car and also left the house.

While investigators were on the scene, Defendant Collins returned home in the box truck and officers took him into custody.

During an interview with police, Defendant Collins claimed that he shot Broadnax in self-defense because Broadnax was following him in his car. Defendant Collins said he noticed Broadnax driving behind him, so he stopped the truck, got out, asked Broadnax why he was following him and then opened fire. Defendant Collins never said that Broadnax had a weapon, nor that he had threatened Collins with deadly force.

Defendant Collins left the gun used in the shooting in the truck. The GBI tested the gun and determined it was the weapon that fired the bullets recovered from the victim’s body. GBI experts also determined the gun held a maximum of 16 bullets, so Defendant Collins had emptied the entire magazine during the shooting. Investigators did not find a gun on Broadnax nor in his car.

The case, assigned to the Homicide and Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Kara Roberts with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Connor Payne, and District Attorney Investigator J.B. Williams. DeKalb County Police Department Det. C. Williams led the initial investigation.