ATLANTA WOMAN SENTENCED TO LIFE AFTER CONVICTION FOR HITTING, KILLING WOMAN WITH RENTAL CAR

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

State v. Talisha Moore-Real

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces the conviction by jury trial of an Atlanta woman accused of intentionally hitting and killing a woman with a rental car after an argument with the victim's daughter.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, a jury found Talisha Moore-Real, 35, guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, three counts of Aggravated Assault, and Cruelty to Children in the First Degree in connection with the death of LaQuita Baker, 53, on September 29, 2025.

During a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie, who presided over the trial, sentenced Defendant Moore-Real to Life with the Possibility of Parole, plus 10 years.

According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to a motel in the 3700 block of Flat Shoals Road at 10:40 p.m. after a 911 call came in reporting that someone had been hit and run over by a car. When officers arrived, they found paramedics trying to help Baker. First responders transported Baker to Grady Memorial Hospital, where medical staff pronounced her dead.

Police spoke to two of Baker's family members who were with her at the time of the collision. The women shared that Baker's daughter and Defendant Moore-Real had gotten into an argument over a man. Baker's daughter was dating a man whom Moore-Real had dated previously. After some verbal back-and-forth, Moore-Real intentionally rammed one of Baker's relatives' cars and then drove off.

Defendant Moore-Real then circled back and started arguing with her ex-boyfriend, who was also at the motel. She drove off again and as she did, the man fired shots at the car, which Moore-Real called 911 to report.

Approximately six minutes later, Defendant Moore-Real returned to the motel parking lot and drove toward Baker, her daughter, and another of Baker's relatives, who was just 17 years old. Baker tried to get out of the way, but Moore-Real aimed directly for her, hitting Baker and running her over before driving away from the scene. Surveillance cameras from the motel and a neighboring gas station caught the collision on tape.

A witness took a photo of the car's license plate, which police were able to track to a rental car business at the Atlanta airport. Defendant Moore-Real had returned the rental and the company turned it over to detectives.

Police took Defendant Moore-Real into custody. During an interview, she told investigators that she did not see anyone in her way and did not mean to hit anyone, but video evidence contradicted that claim.

The case, assigned to the Trial Division, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nolan Slifko, with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Ellie Harris, and District Attorney Investigator Jeremiah Lamb. DeKalb County Police Department Detective Kitchen led the initial investigation.