(WSBTV) Investigators spent the night searching for clues after a paralyzed man was found murdered in his home. Police found 51-year-old Tedla Lemma dead inside his home on Kenion Forest Drive in Lilburn, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta (Gwinnett County).
Officials said the preliminary investigation indicated that Lemma died from unnatural causes and have ruled the death a homicide.
Neighbors told Channel 2 Lemma lived in the home in the quiet neighborhood with his brother.
“Two very, very nice brothers owned a convenience store. One had been shot when the convenience store was robbed and he was partially paralyzed,” neighbor Suzanne Zarozsky told Channel 2’s John Cater.
Tuesday afternoon, loved ones of Lemma received news from Gwinnett County police that he had been killed following a family member’s request that they check up on him.
Once authorities received permission to go inside the home, officials found the 51-year-old unresponsive on the floor.
“It’s common for them to everyday make a check on this person and when they could not get this person to the door today, that’s when they contacted Gwinnett County police,” said David Schiralli with Gwinnett County police.
Crime scene investigators worked into the early morning hours of Wednesday searching for clues.
The cause of death and its circumstances are still under investigation and are not known at this time, according to Gwinnett County police.
Family members told Channel 2 the victim moved here from Ethiopia in the 1990s to “live the American dream.” They said first there was the convenience store robbery that left Lemma partially paralyzed and then his murder.
Officials said they have no suspects.