Brothers found guilty of robbing, terrorizing Hispanic residents for over a month in Brookhaven

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
4

A DeKalb County jury has found two brothers guilty for their involvement in violent robberies in Brookhaven.

The series of events began to unravel from December 13, 2019, through January 24, 2020.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, Edrick Agee, 35, of Forest Park and Avonte Treon Fortson, 41, of Riverdale robbed multiple people at gunpoint during separate incidents at apartment complexes along Buford Highway.

During one of the robberies, the suspects held up a man and his girlfriend and shot the man.

Victim Jason Diaz talked to Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne about the terrifying moments.

“The bullet went from my side to the other side of my body. That was a miracle for the fact that the doctors told me it almost hit my spine,” Diaz said. “I gotta thank God above that I’m still here.”

Diaz spent 19 days in Grady Memorial Hospital after a walk to get a soda forced him into protecting himself and his friend.

Instincts he honed as a U.S. Marine kicked in after a man with a gun tried to rob them.

But when the gunman turned to his friend, Diaz jumped on his back and the disoriented robber shot him.

Brookhaven Police Sgt. Jake Kissel told Winne the department had nailed down charges on eight robberies, all involving guns and three involving pistol-whippings.

Kissel said that in December and January, one robbery crew pulled eight robberies in Brookhaven, all targeting Hispanic victims.

“The time frame was 42 days,” Kissel said.

TRENDING STORIES:

While speaking with police shortly after she was robbed, one of the victims noticed that her stolen bank card had been used at a Walmart.

Elizabeth Edmonds, 32, who shares children with Agee, was the getaway driver for the crimes.

“The big break in this case was Edmonds and Fortson using one of our victim’s stolen credit cards at a Walmart,” Kissel said.

Officials said license plate readers placed Edmonds’ car in the area of most of the robberies when they occurred.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

In Feb. 2022, Edmonds pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years of probation. On Oct. 24, Agee was found guilty of two counts of armed robbery, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery and aggravated assault. Fortson was guilty of two charges of armed robbery.

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Shondeana Morris sentenced both brothers to life in prison.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Recommended Stories