ATLANTA - A Fulton County Superior Court Jury convicted 24-year-old Devin Kingdom with the death of a 25-year-old Clark Atlanta University student.
In 2014, the gang relocated from New York to Atlanta and were sharing an apartment in Sandy Springs. A leadership struggle developed during their time together between the leader, Tyrique Lobban, and the rest of the gang which included Kingdom, Malik Ortiz, Gregory Battle and Jabar Brady.
In October 2016, Lobban asked Clarke, Ortiz and Battle to move out of the apartment.
After this, the rest of the gang decided to kill Lobban.
On November 25, 2016, Kingdom, Clarke, Ortiz and Battle entered Lobban's apartment through an unlocked door and met Lobban's roommate, Brady, who they ordered to leave or else he would be murdered as well.
Kingdom and Clarke kicked in the door to Lobban's bedroom and found him and his girlfriend, Cierra Ford, lying in bed.
The men shot Ford in the head with a shotgun and Lobban was shot three times but managed to survive.
Ford was a graduate of Berkley High School in California and was earning her associates' degree from Contra Costa Community College.
According to Ford's brother, Clarence Ford, she excelled academically and he believed his sister was an inspiration to other young women.
"Cierra was intelligent, charismatic and she had a vibrant sense of humor that resonated with her friends and family," Clarence said.
The U.S. Marshal arrested Clarke, Kingdom and Ortiz on December 6, 2016, at a home in Florida.
Kingdom was found guilty of felony murder, murder, home invasion in the first degree, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery, burglary in the first degree and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Kingdom was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years.
Ortiz was acquitted because a jury failed to reach a verdict for another 12 counts against him. Clarke will face trial in Fulton County Superior Court later on.
