Police say the victim had moved into the Meador Way home one day earlier.
ATLANTA — A mother and daughter are in jail after police said they robbed a man at gunpoint inside his home while stripping parts from his air conditioning unit for scrap metal.
Police identified the suspects as Chyneka Batista, 48, and Alexis Avery, 33. Investigators said the 35-year-old victim had moved into the Meador Way home the day before and was waiting for a city worker to turn on his water when the confrontation began.
Police said Batista pointed a handgun at the man inside the home. The man grabbed a hammer and chased her outside, where investigators said he found Avery taking apart the HVAC unit. Police said Avery hit him in the head with bolt cutters during a struggle before both women ran from the property.
The man pulled out his cellphone before the suspects left and recorded their SUV leaving the neighborhood, police said. Investigators said the video helped them identify the license plate and track the suspects to a scrap metal facility, where the stolen parts had just been sold.
Neighbor Jamal Thornton said the location made the case stand out. “It’s crazy, because this is a dead end. It’s only us right here. To come back here, you’ve got to be looking for something,” Thornton said.
Police said Batista and Avery face multiple felony charges. A third woman, described in court documents as the driver of the getaway SUV, was detained and questioned but had not been charged as of Wednesday afternoon.
The case remained active Wednesday, with investigators reviewing evidence tied to the home, the recorded SUV and the scrap metal sale.
Author note: Last updated Thursday, July 9, 2026.