DPD Charges Second Individual In March 2022 Homicide
Tuesday, January 17th, 2023
The Dalton Police Department arrested 21 year old Kyera Deshae Betton on charges of murder and aggravated assault on Friday. The charges are related to Ms. Betton’s role in the March 2022 shooting death of 62 year old Kenneth Ray Townsend. Gabriel Mekel Adams was arrested last April in the shooting.
The shooting happened in the early morning hours of March 31st, 2022 at Mr. Townsend’s apartment at 801 Selvidge Street. Police were called to the apartment at 2:51 am with a report of a man shot, and responding officers found Mr. Townsend suffering from gunshot wounds to his arm and chest. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. Investigators were able to determine that Gabriel Adams was the shooter in the case and obtained warrants for his arrest on April 2nd. After a week-long search, Adams was arrested in Chattanooga on April 7th with assistance from the US Marshal’s Office and the Chattanooga Police Department. He was charged with two counts of murder (non-family, gun) and one count of aggravated assault (gun).
The investigation of the shooting has continued since that time. Investigators determined that Ms. Betton was present with Mr. Adams during the shooting and also afterwards. After investigation and in consultation with the district attorney’s office, investigators last week obtained warrants for Ms. Betton’s arrest on the same charges as Adams’: two counts of murder (non-family, gun) and one count of aggravated assault (gun). Ms. Betton was arrested without incident on Friday at the Dalton Police Services Center.
