Suspect in Decatur strip club killing in custody

A 28-year-old man wanted in connection of the killing of a Decatur strip club co-owner is in the DeKalb County Jail, according to the Sheriff's Office jail log.

Joey Celestin was arrested on Wednesday and is charged with one count of murder and one count of armed robbery.

Terry Stephenson, 49, was fatally shot at about 1 p.m. outside Pin Up’s, a strip club he co-owned on East Ponce de Leon Avenue. He was approached by the gunman as he was leaving the club to make a bank deposit. Several shots were fired.

Business owners in the commercial-industrial corridor near the club said Tuesday they were shocked by the murder. Several said crime was rare in the area beyond the occasional theft.

Jim Riegert, owner of Progressive Methods Inc., an office supply store, said he thought violent crime was unlikely to occur at most of the businesses in the area. 

“It seems like somebody looking for a lot of cash, which doesn’t have anything to do with us,” he said.

Check back with www.championnewspaper.com for more information. 

 

UPDATE: Charges dropped in strip club killing


Comments (23)

Ruth
Said this on 9/30/10 At 09:51 am
Hey Crystal do you need an IV... I'm sure your dehydrated by now.......... JOEY CELESTIN IS FREE.... Take that! Everyone there are no words to express how greatful I am that Joey has friends and family that supported him and his family during these rough times..... however its not over yet! The person who murdered Terry is out there. His family needs closure.... if any knows the Dread in the black Cadillac Deville that shot Terry and raced out of the pinups parking lot...... contact the police immediately...The Dekalb Dept needs to get to work! It's time to do what you are sworn to do. The lead detectives on this case...... should be suspended for railroading these GOOD MEN! The entire dept should go under investigation for there incompetent work and abuse. makes you wonder where did that money go...... hum?!?!?!
L vargas
Said this on 9/29/10 At 09:40 pm
Crystal, the GOOD MAN is FREE. I Believe in Justice and charges were dropped, because HE IS INNOCENT. Did you puke????.
bsb
Said this on 9/29/10 At 05:32 pm
really crystal .. your lack of knowledge makes me laugh ... you wanna puke wll guess what joey is a free man , like he should have been from the jump ! ignorance is bliss ! so as lvargas said .. a INNOCENT man makes you wanna puke ... i have NO words for you .. on another note THANK YOU EVERYBODY who supported joey and knew that he was innocent . Its your prayers & the work of god that set him free ! WE LOVE YOU JOEYYY .
...
Said this on 9/29/10 At 05:25 pm
thats why my cousin joey IS INNOCENT & FREE ! so all of you ignoratn people .. point your finger else where hes home with him family now :] go point your finger at the stripper who is now missing !
ANJELCAT
Said this on 9/29/10 At 04:27 pm
Joey is a great person that I have known for over 4 years and I must say his heart is golden as ever!!! He is not someone that has to kill and especially for any stupid reasons!! My heary goes out to the family of the deceased but I truly believe the wrong person is in custody!!! Joey if you could read this just know that I'm praying for you and I know everything will work out for the best!!!
Sarah
Said this on 9/28/10 At 08:08 am
Are you foreal!!!! Who are you? Clearly an Ignorant Fool! Do you know Joey? NO!!!!! Do you know anything about this case? NO!!!!!!! You clearly dont know what a good man is... If you did you would know Joey and Bill! Please do not write any foolishness if you do not know what you are talking about!!!!! Things that make me puke! The Dakalb Police Department, Mekka Perish, The Detectives, and The Dekalb Fugitive squad, for there incompetant work... There false documentation and statements etc... They arrested Joey and Bill just to say they had someone and look like they quickly did there job and cought the MURDERERS.......Two more African American men off the street another million to go.... Hey they need to make ther money right... thats all its about.....According to My Fox Atlanta Portia Bruner another puke!!!!!! "The Dekalb Police made a quick arrest" NEWS FLASH WRONG GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Report that!!!! This is by far the most disgusting behavior I have ever seen from the Police department... "Serve and Protect" Yeah Right... It should be MO Money less negros!!!!! No one leaves this earth without paying for the wrong they have done.... You will have to face GOD . "He who deceits shall not dwell in my home" !!!! What I pray happen is that the Baureau will go under investigation for there incompetent work... Do you know how many people are in jail just cause.... after all this I believe thousands... If you have no Family or Money for a lawyer the system will screw you!!!! They make it as difficult as possible for those poor people and threaten them to plead guilty... Example: System says: If you dont plead guilty we will give you the death penalty... If you plead guilty we will lower your sentence. Poor Person: I am innocent why should I have to plead gulty... Syetem: Well cause you have no money and you are our money!!!! That is the sad truth! In Joey and Bills case this will not happen because this case is a joke... What the damn Dekalb department needs to do is "GO FIND THE PERSON WHO KILLED TERRY" HOW? BY REALLY INVESTIGATING!!!! How bout this!!! Why dont you guys start with the people who 'Claim they saw these men do the crime" whos stories are so differant than the 911 calls!!!!!! Hint Hint!
L vargas
Said this on 9/28/10 At 12:07 am
Poor you Crystal, my truth about a GOOD MAN makes you puke.....I feel sorry for you. Do you know how many innocent people are in jail paying for someone elses crime? ...Imagen the real killer reading your comment...It is terrible that the murdered of Terry Stephenson is out there maybe at the strip club celebrating the Dekalb County Police Department bad job. I believe in justice and I am confident that the charges will be dropped for lack of evidence and Joey Celestin will be free. f
Rob
Said this on 9/27/10 At 01:09 am
Are you stupid or something? This man is innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution has the burden of proof, not the defense. Do me a favor, go ask the prosecutor what she has against him. The fact that this is going to trial is an abuse of the justice system. With the knowledge I have of the evidence, OR LACK THERE OF, I'm confident that they know these men didn't do anything and they are just holding them for now because they have nobody else. This string that is holding this joke of a case together will be cut long before there is a trial. Even if it isn't...you know what makes me want to puke? People like you who convict based on media reports with no facts. Crystal, grow up. Seriously. I say again, in this country, the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. Mark my words, in the end Joey Celestin will be vindicated and all charges will be dropped.
Ruth
Said this on 9/23/10 At 09:19 pm
I'm not sure why my message was deleted but I'm going to say it again! Joey did not kill anyone.... what should make you puke is what the Dekalb police did. They arrested 2 innocent men and have ruined their lives because its just a 9 to 5 to them.... did you know about the second suspect no right why cause they did not investigate at all.... and Dekalb. Police know they screwed up! This was an In side Job!!!!! It's more then clear. The people who think that Joey did it clearly don't know him! And are ignorant...... this will all be over soon Joey will be freed and the killer will be found. So Crystal go to hell! FREE JOEY CELESTIN!
Crystal
Said this on 9/21/10 At 02:23 pm
I almost puked when I read this. A good man doesn't shoot another man and kill him. THAT IS NOT A GOOD MAN. He wasn't thinking about his goodness, his family or anyone else but his greed when he did such a horrible thing.
L vargas
Said this on 9/18/10 At 11:07 pm
My thoughts and prayers go out to Both families. I cant believe that Joey is in jail as a suspect of such a crime. NO WAY. IMPOSSIBLE. I have known Joey for over 10 years, He worked with me for long time and I know him well. Holding the business door key and Having the opportunity to steal from the business , he never did. We never had a complaint about Joey, only very positive comments from customers., He worked hard, was polite, funny, like a Big kid, he loves his children and they adore him. Dekalb County police is letting the real killer go away. Very unfear for Terry Stephenson (RIP), Joey Celestin and the family of both. SHAME OF YOU DEKALB COUNTY .
Marvin Marcano
Said this on 9/18/10 At 01:15 pm
I have known Joey for over 15 years and he is no Killer. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the departed, but honestly the wrong man is being punished. Joey, hold yoyr head up and let the system work. You will be home again soon.
Camille
Said this on 9/16/10 At 08:29 pm
First, let me state that yes, this is a tragedy for all involved. My prayers go out to his family. No one deserves for their life to be taken, in any manner, under any circumstances. With that being said, I have known Joey Celestin for the majority of his life. He is and always has been the most compassionate, kind hearted soul that one would ever have the pleasure of knowing.

Joey is a family man, his children are the lights of his life. They mean the world to him and he would never do ANYTHING to jeopardize his freedom. Joey knows how important it is to have a father figure, he has a family who instilled that in him.

The true criminal will be found if the police take the time to look for him, or should I say them.....This crime was carried out by people who knew the comings and goings of the club owners and staff...Ugh, go figure, possibly staff members were involved in this horrific incident. OPEN YOUR EYES DEKALB COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT. You have railroaded the wrong man. Go out and do an honest days work instead of taking the word of a stripper!!!!!

Joey, I know you are unable to read the love that we all have for you, but I hope that you know that the power of prayer will set you free. I send you my love!
Bud Rimert
Said this on 9/16/10 At 11:32 am
I have Known Joe for Quite some time and have never seen a hint of violence from him. Quite the opposite he is very a pleasant and caring person that was not desperate or had modif to commit such violence.
Anonymous
Said this on 9/15/10 At 07:03 pm
Joey Celestin is a good man, a great father, hard working always making jokes, making people laugh, personable and I can go on and on... He is not a criminal.... He is not violent and he would never harm a soul. When people are in need he always gives a helping hand....He was arrested and called a murderer in front of his children.... The pain and suffering that this mistake has caused him and his family is beyond words..... and cant be taken back..... The police and media have ruined his reputation. My Fox News has placed his license picture in the media as his mug shot.Too make him appear as a cold blooded killer. Dekalb County spokes person Mekka Perish stated and I quote "It should be noted that Celestin is no stranger to the prison system in the United States, but this time, let us hope he will be locked away for the rest of his life" UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! HOW CAN YOU EVEN MAKE A COMMENT LIKE THAT WITH OUT FACTS. The Dekalb County System is corrupt. Joey's "priors" that they continue to bring up are of when he was a child..... and it did not involve violence.... we all make mistakes as children. With all this being said.... JUSTICE IS NOT BEING SERVED..... I could have sworn that you are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.... NOT GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT!!!!!!! Joey will be released for he is innocent and his loved ones will make sure of it..... Joey you are in our prayers and we LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS. My heart poor's out to the family as well during this hard time.....
Robert Hosea
Said this on 9/15/10 At 04:34 pm
Dekalb county corruption continues....Ive know Joey for years and hes not a killer.
Drummer 26
Said this on 9/14/10 At 12:25 am
I don't think Joey did either. I think there's more than one person involved here, it was an inside job, and they haven't been caught yet. But they are very close to being caught. There were at least 40 people in the club, the first on the scene was a maintenance guy who said it looked to be execution style (the killer had killed before and knew how to do it quick), cameras at the neighboring grocery store are being examined, and by where Terry's truck was and the fact he hadn't done a bank run in over a year, the killer knew he was going to that day. Period. Those are the FACTS that have been made public by the police. More than just the police are hunting for them. And lets just say they better hope the police get to them first.
t. williams
Said this on 9/13/10 At 08:29 pm
I agree with you, this had to be an inside job!
not to be told
Said this on 9/13/10 At 06:46 pm
JOEY IS NOT A MURDERER . All you IGNORANT people are doing is going by what the police say when NO ONE knows the truth about what went on ! All i can say is joey would NEVER do such a crime . He is not that type of person . The truth shall set him free and I know its all on god's hands . WE LOVE YOU JOEY !
Drummer 26
Said this on 9/12/10 At 11:29 pm
Terry's mother lives across the street from us. This has been an absolute shock and a devastating week in our neighborhood. Terry was a hard working son, husband and father who earned a legal living. After seeing the news footage, I am 100% convinced this was an inside job. Somebody knew who Terry was, what he drove and where he was going. His truck was parked right outside the door to the club. Terry wasn't foolish enough to mention what he was doing while in ear-shot of strangers. As quick as his killer(s) pulled off the attack, they had it planned before he ever got to the club. The justice in all of this is as follows, and I hope the killer(s) read this and remember it:
"You WILL be caught. And while Terry's memory will live on, and he will be loved and missed, you will not. You will rot in prison, or on Death Row as the forgotten scum of society. Nobody will remember you, and nobody will even care to read about your vain legacy as you have now written your final chapter. And as the fires of HELL grow warm on your skin, and the judge & chaplain say to you 'May God have mercy on your soul', know this..... he WON'T.You wasted your life on Earth for money that has probably already been spent.... just like your soul has been."
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