Georgia Man Sentenced to Life for Shooting Girlfriend Dead in Motel Bathtub
Antonio Watson, 38, was convicted of malice murder after firing into a Tucker, Georgia motel room while on the phone with 911, killing Shalileha Alford, 30.
Georgia Man Gets Life in Prison for Motel Shooting Death of Girlfriend
A 38-year-old Georgia man has been sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend inside a Tucker motel room — a killing he carried out while actively speaking with 911 dispatchers, according to Law & Crime.
Antonio Robert Watson was convicted of malice murder, three counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, and home invasion in the death of 30-year-old Shalileha Alford. The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office announced the sentence.
Officers responded around 8 a.m. on April 15, 2025, to a Motel 6 extended-stay location on Crescent Centre Boulevard in Tucker after a report of a person shot. They found Alford unconscious in the bathroom. Three shell casings were recovered outside the room, with several more inside. The glass window at the front of the room had been shattered by gunfire.
Before police arrived, a 911 dispatcher received a call from a man who identified himself as "Robert." He claimed Alford had robbed him and that her dog had bitten him. While the call was still active, dispatchers heard multiple gunshots in the background. The caller then told dispatchers that Alford had fired at him.
Surveillance footage from the motel told a different story. The video showed Watson pulling up in a Nissan Altima at approximately 7:35 a.m. Around ten minutes later, he stepped out of the car and knocked on Alford's door. She pulled back the curtains, recognized him, and refused to let him in.
Watson, still on the phone with 911, drew a firearm from his pocket and fired several shots into the room through the window. He then climbed through the shattered window and fired additional rounds before fleeing to his car. Investigators said the footage directly contradicted Watson's claim that Alford had shot at him first.
Paramedics transported Alford to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Detectives tracked Watson's Altima and stopped the vehicle using a PIT maneuver. He was taken into custody at the scene.
The shooting followed a prior incident of violence. The day before her death, Alford had called police to report that Watson had assaulted her at the same motel. She told officers the two were casually dating and that he had shown up uninvited, punched her multiple times, and threatened to shoot her in the face.
Her obituary, quoted by Law & Crime, described Alford as someone who lived without compromise: "Shalileha made it clear from the very beginning that she was going to live life on her own terms. Sassy, smart, and unapologetically herself, she had a mouth full of wit, a heart full of fire, and a smile that could stop you mid-sentence."
Source: Law & Crime