Closure in Case of Man Killed by Snipers

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - There was closure Monday night for some Atlanta friends of a package store employee who was gunned down seven years ago. The case was linked to John Allen Muhammad, who is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday for his role in the sniper shootings in the Washington DC area.

The murder spree gripped the Washington area in fear and the DC snipers were linked the death of an Atlanta man.

Forty-one-year-old Milione Woldermarian was gunned down outside Sam's package store in September of 2002. Woldermarian was known as Mili to family and friends.

Joanne Malone said she had just left the store when Woldermarian, who was a part-time worker there, was killed. Police said Woldermarian had walked out the side door to investigate a suspicious car.

"He told the owner he was going to see what was going on with the car he went outside she heard three gunshots," said Lieutenant Johnny Fagler of the Atlanta Police Department.

Lt. Fagler, then the lead homicide detective in the case said Woldermarian had been shot once in the head, twice in the back. For weeks police searched for clues. Then a couple months later the Washington snipers case started making headlines. Lt. Fagler says he noticed a news story connecting a Montgomery, Alabama murder to the DC sniper case. Lt. Fagler said the Alabama case had the same M.O. as the Woldermarian murder.

"Mine was no different than the two in Maryland it was no different than the one in Montgomery," said Lt. Fagler.

Lt. Fagler said he testified before the task force investigating the sniper case. Ultimately charges and convictions were made against Lee Boyd Malvo, now serving life in sentence, and John Allen Muhammad, scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday.

"It's a sense of gratitude, you're able to go to the family and say we're able to close this case," said Lt. Fagler.