Man gets life sentence for 2024 "assassination" shooting near Norcross gas station, officials say

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the deadly shooting of a man near a Norcross gas station in 2024, officials say.

A Gwinnett County jury found Ernesto Garcia-Bailon guilty of malice and felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for the July 14, 2024 shooting.

According to prosecutors with the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office, Garcia-Bailon and the victim, 38-year-old Gerardo Reyes-Fentanes, were at a gas station on Jimmy Carter Boulevard on the night of the shooting. Video surveillance showed the two men leaving the gas station and going up a hill. It was there that officials say officers found Reyes-Fentanes dead after receiving reports of gunshots in the area.

Investigators say that Garcia-Bailon shot Reyes-Fentanes six times, including twice in the face while he was standing over the man, describing the killing as "assassination style." Officials also say Garcia-Bailon later confessed to a family member that he had killed someone.

Following the guilty verdict, a judge sentenced Garcia-Bailon to life in prison plus five years.

"We hope this outcome helps Mr. Reyes-Fentanes' family heal and find solace after his tragic loss," District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said in a statement.