A former Georgia cop who entered a Black man’s home without a warrant in 2022 and shot him to death was spared prison time by a judge in February 2026.
Russell Mathis, a former DeKalb County police officer, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for shooting 37-year-old Marando Salmon while he was sleeping.
Mathis was sentenced to two years of house arrest followed by eight years of probation. He will not be required to wear an ankle monitor during house arrest. The shooting was recorded on body cameras, but the footage has not been released despite requests from Salmon’s family.
11/4/22: Marando Salmon was at home when Stone Mountain, GA police burst through the door and shot him dead, claiming he was “brandishing a gun.” Cops were looking for a stolen car when they broke into his home and shot the unarmed man dead. Home execution, no weapons found. pic.twitter.com/5HVYob41zk
— IncarcerNation.com (@IncarcerNation) January 17, 2023
According to The Atlanta Black Star, Russell Mathis entered an Alford plea on February 11, allowing him to maintain his innocence while accepting a conviction.
Under Georgia’s First Offender Act, he could have the conviction sealed if he completes the 10-year sentence. He was also ordered to pay $4,700 to Salmon’s family to help cover funeral costs.
The shooting occurred on Nov 4, 2022, when Mathis and another DeKalb County officer, Jordan Vance, responded to a report of a stolen vehicle parked in Salmon’s driveway around 11 p.m. Police reported that a car was stolen on August 24, 2022, from a dealership after a man allegedly failed to return it following a test drive.
Officers knocked on Marando Salmon’s door, which they claimed was opened, and entered the house. After searching the first floor, Mathis reportedly opened the door to a second-floor bedroom where Salmon was sleeping.
Salmon woke up, and Mathis fired six shots, striking him four times. Police initially stated that Russell Mathis fired because Marando Salmon was reaching for a gun, but this claim was later found to be false.
Police later claimed that Salmon threw a knife at the officer, but this was also disproven. A year later, investigators said that the object Salmon used was a phone.
Authorities also said they found a gun in the bedroom, but it was holstered and legally owned by Salmon. Both officers told internal affairs investigators that they entered the home without a warrant due to “exigent circumstances.”
However, DeKalb County police policy stated in the lawsuit that “warrantless searches are permitted… where speed is essential to the accomplishment of lawful police action. ”
The lawsuit states that investigators noted Salmon had been asleep and that the vehicle in question had reportedly been missing for weeks. Mathis resigned from the DeKalb County Police Department in May 2023. A grand jury indicted both Mathis and Vance in February 2024.
Mathis was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor reckless conduct, while Jordan Vance was charged with reckless conduct.
The charges were removed in April 2025 due to a legal technicality involving a witness who testified during both a grand jury proceeding and an immunity hearing.
‘Should Never Have Been Killed’: Georgia Cop Avoids Prison for Shooting Sleeping Black Man After Illegal Home Entry, May Walk Away with Sealed Conviction
And this is why people of color can’t trust that this system will make offenders pay for their guilthttps://t.co/vVLtpImAAQ
— Jon Butler (@JonButl99803616) March 5, 2026
Prosecutors re-indicted Russell Mathis in September 2025 on the same charges, but did not re-indict Jordan Vance. Marando Salmon’s family remains adament to seeking accountability. His mother, Audrey Salmon, described him as a loving father, son, and brother who cared deeply about others.
“He should never have been killed by police in his own home,” she said. “No family should have to experience this pain,” she added.
