Macon Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Killing Girlfriend in a 2021 Armed Showdown

MACON, Ga. – A Macon man will spend decades in prison after pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend in a domestic violence incident that occurred in front of her young daughter.

34-year-old Leonard Holmes entered a guilty plea on Monday, December 1, 2025, in Bibb County Superior Court just as jury selection was set to begin. As a result, he was sentenced to 45 years, with the first 20 years to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections. He plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The fatal shooting occurred during the early morning hours of July 7, 2021, at the Eastside Macon home of 38-year-old Tanesha Thomas, where she lived with her seven-year-old daughter. Holmes, who also lived at the residence, had returned home from a club and began arguing with Thomas.

Neighbors called 911 after hearing the argument escalate. Holmes later called 911 himself, claiming Thomas had been shot during a drive-by shooting. A second neighbor contacted police after witnessing Holmes fire a handgun into the air multiple times.

Investigators determined that Holmes held Thomas on the ground during the confrontation, awakening her daughter in a nearby room. When the child came to assist her mother, Holmes released Thomas and moved toward his vehicle. Thomas retrieved her 9mm handgun and told Holmes to leave the residence.

According to investigators, Holmes, armed with a .40 caliber handgun, refused to leave. As Thomas stood on the front porch, Holmes fired a shot that struck her in the torso, killing her while her daughter looked on.

Police recovered multiple shell casings at the scene, including two 9mm casings consistent with Thomas’ firearm and several .40 caliber casings linked to Holmes’ weapon. Three of the .40 caliber casings were found in an area where witnesses reported Holmes had been firing into the air.

Holmes later claimed he acted in self-defense, stating he fired only after Thomas fired at him. Prosecutors noted that the claim could have supported a voluntary manslaughter charge had the case gone to trial.

District Attorney Anita Howard said the guilty plea spared Thomas’ daughter from having to testify. She also acknowledged the impact of the case on the child and the role of the district attorney’s RISE program, which supports children affected by violent crime.

Thomas’ mother stated she was satisfied with the outcome, emphasizing her desire to protect her granddaughter, who now lives with her, from reliving the events of the night her mother was killed.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Chief Jeremy B. Johnson and Deputy Chief Taylor S. Wilson.