Former Doraville Police Officer Sentenced to Life for Murdering 16-Year-Old Girl

A Gwinnett County jury on Wednesday found former Doraville Police officer Miles Bryant guilty of the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Susana Morales. Bryant, 23, was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and misdemeanor false report of a crime. He was sentenced by Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Tamela Adkins to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 12 months.

Morales disappeared on the night of July 26, 2022, after leaving her friend’s apartment in Norcross to walk home. Her decomposed body was discovered over seven months later in a wooded area near Georgia State Route 316 in Dacula.

Investigators linked Bryant to the crime through his personal handgun, found near the scene and reported stolen by him hours after Morales’ body was dumped. Cell phone data tracking Bryant’s movements placed him both near the site where Morales was last seen and the location where her body was found.

“We are profoundly sad for the Morales family,” said Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “The despicable nature of the defendant’s acts is compounded by the fact that he was a police officer at the time. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are highly dedicated to serving the public good every day. Thank you to GCPD for the work that made today’s verdict possible.”

The prosecution was led by special prosecutor Brandon Delfunt and Managing Assistant District Attorney Megan Matteucci from the Special Victims Unit. Significant contributions were made by Gwinnett County Police Det. Angela Carter and Lt. Xavier Biggers.