Four charged with murder of 15-year-old in Georgia

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 9 Nov, 01:45 · Archive

Four people, including three teenagers, have been charged with murder after a 15-year-old boy was shot dead in an abandoned home in Albany, Georgia.

Austin Payne, 15, was found shot dead in an abandoned home on the 800 block of Cameo Lane in Albany, Georgia on 1 November. His mother discovered him by tracking his phone location after he failed to return home on Halloween night.

Payne called his mother after being shot, according to Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. The Daily Mail reports that when Payne's mother received his call at around 8pm on Halloween, she initially believed he was joking due to his past remarks. She later found him in the abandoned apartment the next morning.

Three teenagers aged 15 and 16, and 22-year-old Detravion Parke, have been arrested and charged with murder. All four were transported to the Dougherty County Jail.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, cellphone records and witness statements to reconstruct events leading up to the death. Witnesses told investigators that armed individuals approached a group walking with Payne, demanded their belongings and opened fire. The Daily Mail reports that security footage captured six people walking towards the building at around 7:35pm on Halloween night, with a person jumping from a window around 20 minutes later.

According to WALB, Payne may have been targeted during an attempted robbery involving a handgun he had recently displayed on social media. Payne would have turned 16 on 12 November. His family has launched a fundraiser to cover funeral expenses, noting that he is survived by his mother and 17-year-old sister.

How it is being reported

• Four teens are charged with murder after boy, 15, calls mom moments before he's found shot dead in abandoned homeAustin Payne, 15, was shot dead in an abandoned Georgia home just moments after calling his mother, as three teenagers and one man are charged with his murder.Daily Mail · 9 Nov, 01:31
• Georgia teens, adult charged with murder after mom finds son, 15, dead in abandoned homeHis mom found him by tracking his location via cellphone after he failed to return home on Halloween.New York Post · 8 Nov, 07:24
• Three teens, adult charged with murder after woman finds her teenage son dead in abandoned homeAustin Payne's mother tracked his cellphone to an abandoned Albany, Georgia, residence after the 15-year-old called to say he had been shot.Fox News · 8 Nov, 05:02

In this story: Austin Payne · Detravion Parke · Kimberly Payne · Michael Persley · Albany Police Department · Albany · Georgia

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log