DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Lithonia woman accused of shooting and killing the father of one of her children has been convicted by a jury in DeKalb County.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts Friday against Quaneesha Nicole Johnson, 30, on charges of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of aggravated assault-family violence, two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

On November 26, 2022, Johnson had gone out clubbing with her friends and left her three children with Demonte Smith, 29, the father of her youngest child.

Smith expected Johnson to return home at 6 a.m. and when she did not return, he called her several times.

Smith was worried because Johnson had called him earlier that night and said she and her friends got in a fight with other people in the club.

Smith called some members of Johnson’s family, who also became worried because her phone was off.

They all called local hospitals and jails looking for her.

At around 9 a.m., Johnson turned her phone back on and saw text messages from Smith.

She called her family members, who conference-called Smith into the conversation.

Smith was angry and threatened to hit her when she got home.

According to the investigation, Johnson called 911 to ask for a police escort to her home in Lithonia.

When she returned to the home about two hours later, one of the DeKalb County police officers who responded told her to put her gun in her car.

She told the officer there were no other weapons in the house.

Police say Smith came outside and argued with Johnson in front of the officers.

The officers tried to resolve their dispute, but say Johnson continued to talk over them and was combative with them.

The officers sent Johnson and Smith inside the house to calm down.

As she walked inside, Johnson asked the officers what would happen if she shot Smith “in self-defense” and told them that she had already looked up the self-defense law.

Officers remained at the home and planned to give the couple a few minutes to calm down.

Before that could happen, Johnson went back outside, grabbed a metal tire iron and her gun from her car, and went back inside the house.

She told one of her children to call 911 and say that Smith had hit her.

Johnson then hit Smith in the head with the tire iron and then shot him.

The gunshot can be heard on the 911 call, as well as Johnson repeatedly saying “bye” to Smith.

Smith went outside and told the officers, “She hit me in the head with a metal thing and then shot me. Hurry before I die.”

Smith then collapsed.

Johnson was arrested by the officers.

During an interview at police headquarters, she admitted Smith did not hit her that day.

Investigators later learned Smith had requested a rideshare to leave the house, but was killed just minutes before it arrived.

The state requested that Johnson be sentenced to 25 years in prison and 5 on probation.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Shondeana Morris sentenced Johnson to 10 years in confinement, split between five years in prison and five more under house arrest with an additional 10 years on probation.

The state requested that Johnson be taken into custody immediately upon being found guilty, but she will not yet begin her sentence because the judge granted her an appeal bond over the state’s objection.

Judge Morris ordered Johnson to be placed on house arrest while her attorney appeals her conviction.