Four Sentenced to Life for Chickamauga Murder Following Armed Robbery Attempt
CHICKAMAUGA, GA – Four individuals have been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty in the October 2024 shooting death of Dakota Bottomlee.
On December 9, 2025, a Walker County jury convicted Marcus Allen Chambers, James Logan Darty, Kayla Michelle McClure, and Brayden Niri Whatley of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Criminal Attempt to Commit Armed Robbery, and Aggravated Assault following a six-day trial before Judge Chris Arnt.
The charges stem from the October 31, 2024, shooting at Bottomlee’s residence on Johnson Road. Deputies with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office discovered Bottomlee deceased from gunshot wounds. Investigators noted signs of a struggle, including a shattered glass coffee table, and recovered shell casings from two firearms, along with a casing from a toy gun.
Law enforcement traced involvement through social media evidence, witness tips, and searches of the defendants’ homes. Investigators recovered a firearm from Chambers’ residence that matched shell casings found at the scene. An Airsoft pistol found at McClure’s residence was confirmed to have been fired during the incident.
The case highlighted Georgia’s Party to a Crime law, holding all participants accountable for actions committed during the felony.
On December 19, 2025, all four defendants were sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Lynsay Chapman and Senior Assistant District Attorney Kevin Baugh, with support from Victim Advocate Donna Howell and Investigator Daniel Thacker. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation played critical roles in the multi-month investigation that led to the arrests.
