Conyers man charged with beating his father to death, sheriff’s office says

A Conyers man is in custody at the Rockdale County Jail for allegedly beating his father to death.

According to records from the sheriff’s office, Danny Lee Chastain, 62, was arrested on April 13 for multiple charges, including aggravated battery and aggravated assault.

Deputies confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that Talmadge Chastain later died. On April 19, Danny Chastain’s charges were upgraded to include malice murder.

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Records from the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office say deputies were first called to the home where Danny Chastain, his father Talmadge Chastain and a roommate lived for a welfare check.

When a deputy arrived at the home on Woodland Circle SE, he spoke to the roommate, who said Danny Chastain “was being aggressive and needed to go to the hospital in reference to his mental health.”

Danny Chastain walked out of the room while a deputy spoke to his roommate to say “there was someone dead inside the room.”

The deputy’s report says he ordered both men out of the residence and asked if anyone else was inside. The roommate said only he, Danny Chastain and Talmadge Chastain lived there.

The deputy proceeded to search the house, finding Talmadge Chastain “laying on the floor” of the last room on the right of the hallway. At the time, he was moving and breathing.

The report says “Talmadge Chastain was beaten and had major bruising to the right side of his face. Danny Chastain appeared frantic and surprised” the deputy was there.

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The deputy wrote in the report that Danny Chastain “had walked from that side of the residence and appeared to have been sweaty and disheveled,” and so he took out his county-issued firearm and aimed at him, telling him to get on the ground, “uncertain if Danny had any weapons on him that he might have used to hurt Talmadge.”

He ordered Danny Chastain to the ground with his hands on his back while waiting for backup to arrive.

That’s when “Danny then gets up from the ground and states ‘you’re gonna shoot me,’” the report says. The deputy unholstered his Taser and pointed it at Danny Chastain, ordering him twice to get back on the ground.

The commands were not followed and the deputy used the Taser, causing Danny Chastain to fall to the ground. He remained noncompliant, before listening and staying on the ground with his hands on his back, the report said.

After, Danny Chastain started to resist the deputy’s hold and the grip he had on his hands started to come loose. Again, the deputy told Danny Chastain to stop or he will be Tased again, eventually having to again use the Taser on him before he stopped resisting.

The report says when backup deputies arrived, Danny Chastain was taken into custody and the first deputy to respond got gloves from his patrol vehicle before going into the house to provide medical aid to Talmadge Chastain, using a paper towel to apply pressure to his wounds.

EMS then arrived and took over, taking Talmadge Chastain to Grady Memorial Hospital, according to the report.

In Rockdale County Jail records, Danny Chastain’s initial charges on April 13 included:

• Aggravated battery
• Felony willful obstruction of law enforcement
• 2 counts of battery - family violence
• Aggravated assault
• Misdemeanor willful obstruction of law enforcement
• Violating probation

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