Shivangi Sinha
In February 2017, police in Atlanta, Georgia, received several calls reporting a shooting. When officers reached the scene, they found Dallas Spruill in the back of a car with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite their efforts, he could not be saved and was pronounced dead. Several witnesses had reportedly seen the incident unfold, but investigators still spent months working to identify the person responsible. CBS’ The First 48: The Streets Are Talking,’ particularly the episode ‘Gangland,’ looks at the police response and the early stages of the investigation, including how authorities handled the case during the crucial first few hours after the shooting.
Dallas Spruill Went to Sell TVs With His Friends the Day He Was Shot
Little is publicly known about Dallas Spruill’s life, though friends and family affectionately called him DJ. He had moved from North Carolina to Georgia. On February 10, 2017, he planned to sell several televisions with the help of his friend Christian Boss, who had a car. The two loaded some units into the trunk and set out with another of Dallas’ friends, Pamela Blue. Court records state that they stopped at an abandoned house to collect additional units and allegedly took an assault rifle. The group later went to Sierra Ridge Apartments on the 3000 block of Delmar Lane to meet a potential buyer. Dallas was sitting in the backseat when he was shot multiple times. He died before emergency responders could save him.
Dallas Spruill’s Killer Evaded Arrest for About Seven Months
Detectives received an account from Christian Boss, who had initially fled the scene but later returned to speak with investigators. Boss reportedly told police that Pamela Blue had said she knew someone interested in purchasing the televisions and had brought them to the apartment complex. She then contacted a man identified as Denarius Harris, who came over and looked inside the trunk at the TVs. According to Boss’ account, Blue returned to the vehicle while Dallas remained in the backseat. She allegedly asked to see the assault rifle. Court records state that Boss also noticed a handgun in Dallas’ possession at the time. He said the group exchanged a brief conversation before Harris opened Dallas’ door. Moments later, Boss heard multiple gunshots.
Harris was not apprehended immediately after the shooting and remained at large for roughly seven months. According to court records, investigators eventually located him near a high-rise in the 30 block of Peachtree Street in Atlanta after obtaining his name from another resident of the apartment complex. He was subsequently arrested and initially faced murder and armed robbery charges. The case later resulted in a six-count indictment: malice murder, felony murder predicated on armed robbery, felony murder predicated on aggravated assault, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Denarius Harris is Serving a Life Sentence in a Georgia Prison Today
During his May 2019 trial, Denarius Harris maintained that he had acted in self-defense. According to his account, he had initially approached the vehicle to discuss the television transaction but changed his mind after allegedly seeing a handgun in Dallas Spruill’s lap. Harris said he attempted to walk away from the deal, but claimed Dallas then raised his hand, leading him to believe he was about to be shot.
Harris testified that he fired first. The jury ultimately found him guilty of felony murder predicated on aggravated assault, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He received a life sentence for the felony murder conviction, along with five additional years for the firearm charge. His request for a new trial was ultimately rejected by the Georgia Supreme Court in September 2024. He is serving his sentence at Telfair State Prison in McRae-Helena, Georgia, and is not eligible for parole.
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