Man sentenced to life in connection with 2021 Midtown shooting

COLUMBUS, Georgia (WRBL) – The man behind the 2021 Midtown shooting was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole on Wednesday morning.

Zajaliq Riley, 22, also faces five years in prison for consecutively serving firearms possession charges.

Riley was previously found guilty of murder and two other drug and firearms offenses on August 11.

Prosecutors and defense described the case on May 8, 2021 as a “drug deal gone wrong.” It began with a transaction at a Boxwood Place motel and ended a few hours later with Devion Miley being found nearly dead outside a restaurant near Macon Street.

Detric Bush, who was originally charged with murder, had previously struck a deal after pleading guilty to marijuana and firearms charges in July.