Georgia Judge Rejects Appeal from Former Officer Convicted in Teen’s Murder

A Gwinnett County judge has officially denied a motion for a new trial filed by Miles Bryant, the former Doraville police officer serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Susana Morales. Bryant’s legal team sought to overturn the conviction by citing ineffective assistance of counsel and challenging the admissibility of digital tracking data used during the original proceedings. Despite these arguments, the court upheld the jury’s verdict, which previously found Bryant guilty of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and filing a false police report.

The case gained national attention after Morales vanished in July 2022, with her remains discovered seven months later. Prosecutors presented compelling evidence during the trial, including cell phone location data that placed Bryant at the site where the victim was found. Investigators also uncovered incriminating search history on his devices, including queries regarding the timeline of human decomposition and tracking license plate recognition technology. Furthermore, Bryant’s service weapon was recovered near the scene, despite his prior claims that the firearm had been lost. Following this judicial setback, Bryant’s defense attorney has announced plans to escalate the appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.