A Georgia man has been sentenced to two life terms without parole for the brutal killing of his pregnant girlfriend and their infant daughter. The crime, which occurred in early 2023, ended the lives of 20-year-old Shaniyah Rodriguez and her newborn daughter, Milliani Rodriguez, who passed away months later.
According to a press release from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, 24-year-old Diamonte Haithcoats was found guilty on Friday. The jury convicted him of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault-family violence, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The verdict was immediately followed by sentencing from DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Parker-Smith, who handed Haithcoats two life sentences without the chance of parole.
The fatal shooting took place on February 2, 2023, around 5:45 a.m., at a condominium complex on Old Singleton Lane in Clarkston, a suburb of Atlanta. Deputies from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office responded after a nearby resident reported hearing gunshots.
When the resident went outside to check, he discovered Rodriguez with a severe gunshot wound to the head. Paramedics transported her to a hospital where doctors performed an emergency cesarean section to save her unborn child. Rodriguez succumbed to her injuries two days later. Her daughter, Milliani, survived for a few months but tragically died on June 19, 2023.
Authorities found seven rifle shell casings at the crime scene. Surveillance footage later showed a dark blue Hyundai Palisade leaving the area shortly after the shooting. Investigators discovered the vehicle abandoned days later. It was determined to have been stolen.
Adding to the damning evidence, Rodriguez’s phone automatically connected to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system minutes before the 911 call. Detectives also tracked Haithcoats’ cellphone to the scene, further linking him to the crime.
During the trial, Adrienne Rodriguez, the mother of the victim and grandmother of the infant, testified emotionally about the loss of her daughter and granddaughter. She shared how she had suspicions about Haithcoats soon after the killing.
Taking matters into her own hands, Adrienne called Haithcoats and recorded their conversation, which was played in court. When asked directly, “Who did this, Monte?” Haithcoats claimed he had “no idea.”
Adrienne recounted her heartbreaking efforts to care for baby Milliani after her daughter’s death. Fighting through tears, she said, “I tried everything to fix that mistake. That baby was supposed to be here.”
