DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A DeKalb County judge weighed both sides today before sentencing Kenneth Perry, a Loganville man convicted in a decades-old cold case involving rape and a double murder.
Despite the defense’s efforts, Perry was given the maximum sentence of three life terms plus 100 years. The judge’s decision determined whether he would ever be eligible for parole.
Perry was identified through DNA and fingerprint evidence as the man responsible for the 1990 fatal stabbing of John Sumpter and the rape and stabbing of John’s sister, Pamela Sumpter. Prosecutors revealed that Perry had cut the phone lines at the crime scene, preventing anyone from calling for help.
During the sentencing, the victims’ mother spoke about the lasting trauma of losing her children, sharing the profound emotional scars left behind. Meanwhile, Perry’s defense team attempted to present a different perspective of his character. They submitted letters from individuals describing Perry as a deeply religious man who prays often, gives clothing to strangers, and makes others “feel safe.
The sentencing concludes a 35-year-old DeKalb County cold case.