DECATUR, Ga. — Ten months after a man was found dead in the back of his burned locksmith van in DeKalb County, 11Alive is learning more about the case and who is being charged with murder.
Peter McGrath’s body was found in his burned Ambu-Lock van along Mecklinburg Place in Decatur on June 6, 2022. DeKalb County Police launched a homicide investigation into McGrath’s death and a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with murder.
11Alive confirmed that teenager has since turned 17 and has been identified as Cedric Austin Jr. He was booked as an adult into the DeKalb County Jail in February.
In November, Austin was formally indicted on malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a commission of a felony. The indictment confirms McGrath was shot.
McGrath’s widow, Amber McGrath, said her husband was shot a dozen times before his van was set on fire. She said since her husband’s death, she’s learned it was an apparent set-up by who she believes were several teenagers.
Amber said on Sunday, June 5, her husband got a call from a woman claiming she was locked out of her car at an apartment complex in Decatur.
“I was making dinner, he (Peter) smiled and walked out the door. He said, 'love you. Bye,'” she said.
Peter walked outside and jumped in his locksmith van. She said it was the last time she ever from him. What she’s since learned is gut-wrenching.
“So, he showed up to the job and he was approached -- to my understanding -- is by three men in black COVID-type masks,” she said.
“They shot my husband multiple times. There was a witness who saw them, and that's how we know there were three of them. They loaded my husband back into his work van," she added.
"They went to a second apartment complex where they robbed him while he laid dying. And then about 12:00 that night, they took the van to a third location where they lit it on fire with my husband's body inside of it," she explained.
11Alive was at the scene when DeKalb County Police discovered Peter’s van after the fire was put out. Amber said her husband had maybe $200 on him and there was nothing in the van anyone could have really profited off.
She called the whole thing senseless. Amber said her husband’s gun was stolen from him and later found in a separate unrelated case in DeKalb County. She said she also learned through the investigation a casing found while investigating her husband’s homicide has been tied to a separate robbery in the county.
Amber said her husband's death flipped her world upside down.
“I've had to become mother and father. And that's really hard. So it's been a struggle for the past 10 months,” explained McGrath.
Amber wants those responsible for her husband’s death along with anyone who may know something about that night to come forward.
“I have four children that are suffering. I have a baby who's a year and a half who will never know her father the way that my older children do. And it's not fair and life's not fair. But if you saw something, if you know something, if you've heard something, if one of these people involved talk to you, I implore you to look inside your heart and do the right thing because my children suffer without their father,” said McGrath.
11Alive reached out to DeKalb County Police on Tuesday but they said they had no new updates to share in Peter McGrath’s homicide.
If you know anything, you’re encouraged to call DeKalb County Police or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS(8477) or e-mail the anonymous information using the online form at www.crimestoppersatlanta.org