Valdosta Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Deadly South DeKalb Mall Shooting

DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the conviction and sentencing of a Valdosta man responsible for a deadly shooting inside a South DeKalb Mall restaurant that left one person dead and three others injured.

On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, a jury found 49-year-old James Elderidge Scott guilty of Malice Murder; two counts of Felony Murder; multiple counts of Aggravated Assault; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; four counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony; and Giving False Information to Law Enforcement.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams sentenced Scott to Life Without the Possibility of Parole plus 96 years.

The charges stem from a June 10, 2022, shooting inside a restaurant and bar at South DeKalb Mall. Responding officers discovered four victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims, 48-year-old Daletavious McGuire, later died from his injuries.

Investigators learned that McGuire and others had gathered at the restaurant to celebrate his mother’s 71st birthday. During the event, Scott brushed against the fiancée of one of the partygoers, sparking an argument. Witnesses reported that Scott pulled a firearm and shot the man before firing multiple rounds into the restaurant, striking additional victims and damaging several vehicles in the parking lot.

Surveillance cameras captured the incident, showing Scott wearing a neon safety vest and wide-brimmed straw hat. The next day, mall security recovered a vest and hat matching the shooter’s attire. DNA testing linked the items directly to Scott.

With help from Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta, investigators received a tip identifying Scott, who was arrested on June 28, 2022.

“This conviction ensures that a violent offender will never again endanger our community,” DA Boston said.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Jasmine Atakora and Farrah Shawarby, supported by DA Investigator Tia Johnson and Victim Advocate Christy Palmer. Detective B.R. Smith of the DeKalb County Police Department led the investigation.