Crime & Safety
Ex-DeKalb Officer Re-Indicted In Man's Shooting Death
Prosecutors say they are moving forward with re-charging an ex-DeKalb County officer accused of fatally shooting a man during a call.
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA — A grand jury on Tuesday voted to re-indict former DeKalb County Police officer on manslaughter charges in connection with the November 2022 shooting death of a Stone Mountain man.
The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office said Russell Mathis, 32, of Tucker, was indicted on reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting death of Marando Salmon, 37.
The deadly shooting happened on Nov. 4, 2022, when Mathis and a second officer were responding to a call regarding a stolen car parked in the driveway of an Autumn Crest Court home, prosecutors said.
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When they arrived, prosecutors said the officers knocked on the front door of the home, which swung open.
The officers then went into the home, and as they cleared the house, prosecutors said Mathis found Salmon sitting on a bed in a dark room on the second floor.
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"In a matter of seconds, Officer Mathis opened fire shooting and killing Salmon. Salmon had thrown a cell phone at Officer Mathis, which Mathis said he believed was a knife," prosecutors said in a news release.
Though prosecutors said Salmon was unarmed, they noted a holstered gun was later found in the bedroom.
Paramedics took Salmon to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said.
Mathis and his fellow officer were first indicted in February 2024, but by April of this year, defense attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case "based on concerns about the presentation of certain evidence to the grand jury," prosecutors said.
The district attorney's office took precautionary measures and opted to drop the charges from the indictment, prosecutors said.
However, prosecutors said trial attorneys reviewed case facts and re-charged Mathis, who was accused of firing the fatal shots. Prosecutors said the second officer will not be charged, and specific charges against Mathis were not released.
Mathis is set to be arraigned on Nov. 19, with DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson presiding.
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