Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Investigators believe a deadly shooting Wednesday night at a condemned DeKalb County condominium complex is connected to the kidnapping of 1-year-old Blaise Barnett. Aziz Hassan, 60, was killed just before midnight Wednesday, nearly 24 hours after Blaise and his family’s Ford Explorer were taken from their home in Clarkston, and 12 hours after the SUV was found abandoned in tall bushes at the Brannon Hill complex. Another 12 hours would elapse before the child was found safe Thursday afternoon and reunited with his mother.
“Two people, 38-year-old Delarius Miller and 34-year-old Santana Miller, are facing murder charges in Hassan’s death. According to Channel 2 Action News, they were among a search party that went door to door in the complex late into the night. The Millers are cousins of the child’s father, Xavier Barnett. Their relationship to each other was not disclosed.
“‘Investigators believe the motive for the shooting is related to the kidnapping of the 1-year-old boy,’ DeKalb police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent said in an email. ‘There’s no evidence to suggest that Mr. Hassan had any involvement in the kidnapping of the 1-year-old.’ Investigators believe Delarius Miller was at a Brannon Hill condo “with several others” when he shot Hassan at 11:40 p.m. Wednesday after a dispute, according to Vincent. Hassan died at the scene, and police detained both Delarius and Santana Miller during their initial investigation. Only the man was arrested Wednesday.
“The woman was arrested Sunday, according to police. Both are being held without bond in the DeKalb County Jail. Blaise Barnett was reported missing at 1 a.m. Wednesday from the Parc 1000 apartments at 1000 Montreal Road. According to a police report, Blaise’s parents were running bags of groceries to their apartment and returned to the parking lot to find their vehicle and their son gone. Deonna Bray, the child’s mother, later said they were unloading bags of clothes.”