Georgia Supreme Court upholds sentence for man who stabbed woman in front of 5 children

Written by: A. Smith

Published December 10, 2025 @ 4:02 PM ET

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. – The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence of a Walton County man who stabbed a woman to death in front of five children, ruling that the state presented sufficient evidence to support each count—including child cruelty.

In a unanimous 14-page opinion released Tuesday, the justices affirmed the convictions of Deonte Norwood, who was found guilty in February of malice murder and five counts of first-degree child cruelty for the April 16, 2022 killing of Crystal Powell inside her Monroe home.

Norwood argued on appeal that he could not be convicted of child cruelty because he did not know the children were present during the attack. The court rejected that claim, citing precedent that Georgia’s child-cruelty statute “does not require evidence” that a defendant be aware of a child’s presence when committing a malicious act. Justice Carla Wong McMillian, writing for the court, said the children’s fear, trauma and eyewitness accounts provided ample evidence of “excessive mental pain.”

The ruling detailed testimony from the children, who said they saw Norwood stab Powell, watched him retrieve a weapon, ran upstairs in fear, and hid behind locked doors while calling 911. Investigators testified that the children later saw Powell’s body, and one child stepped in her blood while leaving the home. Relatives said the children remain terrified and sometimes wake up screaming, afraid Norwood will return.

Prosecutors said Norwood stabbed Powell 14 times. He initially told investigators he “snapped” and admitted stabbing her, but at trial claimed Powell stabbed herself. Jurors rejected his account.

Norwood also argued that the trial judge mishandled his request for a new trial by failing to reevaluate conflicts in the evidence. The Supreme Court disagreed, finding the judge applied the correct legal standard and acted within his discretion.

With Tuesday’s decision, Norwood’s life-without-parole sentence remains intact.