Royston Man Sentenced to Life in Shooting Death of Roommate

A Royston man has been to life in prison for the shooting death of his roommate last year.

43-year-old Makuea Dondre Williams was found guilty of murder by a Franklin County jury last week for killing 60-year-old Eugene Riley of Royston.

District Attorney Parks White said Williams shot Riley five times with a Glock 21 .45 caliber handgun.

White said three of those shots entered Riley’s back, which, White said severely undermined Williams’ claim of “self-defense.”

Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman said at the time that just after midnight on September 1, 2021 Williams and Riley got into an argument in their Spring St. townhome.

He said officers were dispatched to the Spring St. townhomes in reference to shots fired. When they arrived Williams flagged them down.

Officers found Riley inside and attempted to render aid but he died at the scene.

Boleman called in the GBI who assisted in the investigation.

Williams was later indicted on one count of malice murder and one count of felony murder, one count of felony aggravated assault family violence, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and cruelty to children in the third degree.

After the verdict and sentence last week, White thanked the GBI for their great work and the jury what he said was outstanding work in analyzing the evidence and returning the appropriate verdict.