Decatur man sentenced to life for role in 2014 armed robbery, kidnapping

Instagram photo led to break in case for investigators.

Adam Gober and Rodriquez Walker plotted their armed robbery.

Just before 8 p.m., they walked into a Dollar General store on Thornton Road in Douglas County on May 13, 2014, and asked employees what time the store closed and how many people would be on the floor that night.

When they came back at 10 p.m., Gober — who was the last person in line — placed a case of Coke Zero on the counter, pulled out a gun and demanded the assistant cashier and the night manager give him all the cash from the register and safe.

He repeatedly threatened to kill them if they didn’t.

The duo complied, but the 28-year-old Decatur man didn’t count on two things: an escaped victim and his accomplice’s Instagram photos linking them to the crime.

The combination got Gober sentenced Monday to life in prison plus 30 years, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Walker took a plea deal before the trial in exchange for his testimony.

After the robbery, Gober told the assistant cashier she could leave, but that the 19-year-old night manager had to come with him, Douglas County assistant district attorney David Emadi said.

Gober led the victim at gunpoint to the getaway car, where Walker was waiting, and told her to drive to DeKalb County.

“The victim testified at trial that she knew if she got on (I-20) she would end up dead,” Emadi said, “and so she decided to turn into the Burger King just before the I-20 off-ramp so there would be video if he killed her.”

Gober eventually freed the victim, who ran across Thornton Road toward the Dollar General, where authorities found her.

Walker and Gober then returned to DeKalb County.

Days later, authorities got a break in the case when Walker posted an Instagram photo of himself wearing the same shirt he was seen wearing inside the Dollar General.

He and Gober were arrested after both victims identified them in separate lineups.

A jury took less than 50 minutes to convict Gober of armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and gun charges.

Emadi described Gober as “a menace to society” with “consistently violent behavior,” who, “unless he is behind bars, he will continue to be a threat to the safety and well-being of anyone he may come into contact with wherever he goes.”

Gober has previous armed robbery arrests in Las Vegas and Clayton County, Emadi said.