Four Charged With Murder in Shooting of 15-Year-Old Austin Payne

“He did make a call to his mother that he had been shot,”

Albany Police Chief Michael Persley stated during a Nov. 2 news conference, detailing the tragic final moments of a 15-year-old Georgia boy whose body was discovered inside an abandoned residence following Halloween night. Three teenagers and an adult have now been charged with murder in connection with the killing, according to the Albany Police Department.

Officers responding to the 800 block of Cameo Lane in Albany on Nov. 1 found Austin Payne dead inside the abandoned home. The teenager’s mother located him by tracking his location via cellphone after he failed to return home on Halloween.

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Arrests and Charges in Dougherty County

Investigators arrested 22-year-old Detravion Parke alongside two 15-year-olds—Jansquincey Donaldson and Omari Marion—and a 16-year-old, Adarious Wallace. All four suspects face murder charges and were transported to the Dougherty County Jail.

Law enforcement reconstructed the events leading up to the homicide using surveillance footage, cell phone records, and witness statements. According to those accounts, armed individuals approached a group walking with Payne, demanded their belongings, and opened fire.

Investigators examining the case indicate that Payne may have been targeted during an attempted robbery after recently displaying a handgun on social media. Payne’s family has since launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover funeral expenses. A relative noted that Payne, who is survived by his mother and a 17-year-old sister, would have turned 16 on Nov. 12.

The Albany Police Department urges anyone with additional information regarding the shooting to contact investigators directly at 229-431-2100.