Clarkston woman convicted of malice murder for shooting ex-boyfriend in front of children, DeKalb DA says
A Clarkston woman has been convicted of murder after prosecutors say she shot and killed her ex-boyfriend inside an apartment while two children were in the room.
According to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, a jury on Tuesday found J'ana Rawat, 30, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, family violence, cruelty to children in the third degree, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the death of Tyler James Reed, 28.
Prosecutors said the shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. on May 20, 2022, at an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Oak Drive in Clarkston.
Police officers responding to reports of a shooting arrived at the apartment and found the door open. Rawat came down the stairs and directed officers to the kitchen, according to investigators. Officers detained her and recovered a handgun from her jacket pocket.
Inside the kitchen, officers found Reed lying face down on the floor. Police attempted CPR, but Reed was pronounced dead at the scene.
Argument escalated before shooting
Investigators said Rawat later waived her Miranda rights and told police she had left her three children at the apartment with Reed — the father of one of the children — while she went out with a friend.
When she returned about an hour later, Rawat told officers she had trouble unlocking the apartment door and believed the lock may have been tampered with, which sparked an argument with Reed.
Authorities said Reed was sitting at the kitchen table with one of the children when the argument continued. Rawat told police she grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at him because she said he had been violent with her in the past.
Prosecutors said Rawat then went upstairs, retrieved a gun and another child, and returned to the kitchen where Reed was still seated.
Reed reportedly told her he was not afraid, and Rawat fired the gun twice, shooting him in front of the children.
Self-defense claim rejected
Defense attorneys argued Rawat acted in self-defense, but prosecutors said evidence presented during the trial showed Reed was not a threat at the time of the shooting.
The case was prosecuted by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit.
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha F. Jackson is expected to schedule Rawat's sentencing hearing within the next 45 days, according to prosecutors.
The investigation was led by the Clarkston Police Department, with assistance from the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
