Notorious Downtown Drug House Finally Shut Down

ATLANTA -- One of the city's most notorious drug houses will become the temporary home of an Police officer before being sold to a low-income family. Last week, Fulton County D.A. Paul Howard's office said 88 other drugs houses besides 730 Dill Avenue have been identified for seizure and similar refurbishing.

The house has been the subject of numerous community complaints, including 67 calls for service from neighbors to police, 12 drug purchases, nine search warrants, various drug crimes, and the July 2, 2016 murder of Vincent Sanders, 48, by Kevin Pate, 43, who is serving a 30-year prison sentence for the crime.

“My son was killed in that house," said Sanders' mother, Rosalyn Hill. "It’s been devastating, it’s been terrible. I am just grateful that this part of its history is gone.”

730 Dill Avenue became known for the repeated sale and usage of drugs. Howard said the owner received four cease and desist letters that instructed him to clean up the property or face potential consequences. However, the owner refused to take action and the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office made the decision to protect the community and fight to seize the home through the use of Georgia’s drug forfeiture statutes.

“Dill Avenue is a street that rappers rap about being the place to go for drugs and prostitutes," said neighbor Joe Miller. "When your street is in rap songs, there’s a problem. This takes a crucial corner of Dill Avenue where the worst of the activity is occurring and gives it back to the community." Miller was referring to the song, Red Rum, by Soulja Boy.

During last week's to take over the house, Atlanta police officials testified the number of calls for service and the amount of criminal activity at 730 Dill Avenue was equivalent to that of an apartment complex. At the conclusion of the trial, a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled prosecutors had far exceeded its burden of proof through an overwhelming amount of evidence.