JUDGE DETERMINES CASE AGAINST TEEN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING MARTA BUS DRIVER CAN MOVE FORWARD

Friday, March 14, 2025

Charges Dropped Against Other Two Juveniles

Decatur, Ga.- The case against a 16-year-old boy charged with murder in the death of a MARTA bus driver earlier this year will move forward.

During a preliminary hearing Wednesday, DeKalb County Magistrate Court Judge Claire Jason ruled the state has enough evidence to proceed with the case against the defendant for Felony Murder and Aggravated Assault.

According to the investigation, three juveniles, ages 16, 16, and 14, were involved in an argument with MARTA bus driver Leroy Ramos, 47, at the Decatur Station on the evening of January 3, 2025. The disagreement continued off the bus, where it escalated to a physical altercation. One of the 16-year-olds pulled out a gun and fired several shots, hitting and killing Ramos.

After a thorough review of the incident, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney has determined that the other two teenagers involved in the argument did not participate in the shooting in any way. The DA's Office has officially dismissed the charges against those two teens.

The DA's Office is still investigating the case against the alleged shooter and has not yet made a final determination about whether the charges against him will be handled in juvenile court or whether he will be prosecuted as an adult in Superior Court. Because that decision has not yet been made, his name is being withheld.

The case is assigned to the office's SB440 Unit, which handles cases that involve juvenile suspects. Senate Bill 440, also known as the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1994, stated that juveniles between 13 and 17 years old can be treated as adults if they are accused of murder, murder in the second degree, voluntary manslaughter, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm on a public safety officer, or aggravated battery on a public safety officer.