Four Charged in Fatal Shooting of Georgia Teen

Austin Payne’s mother found her 15-year-old son dead inside an abandoned residence in Albany, Georgia, on November 1, after he failed to come home on Halloween night. Police said he had been shot. His mother tracked his cellphone to locate him.

Albany police said three teenagers, ages 15, 15 and 16, and a 22-year-old were arrested and charged with murder. All four were taken to the Dougherty County Jail.

Police Chief Michael Persley said Payne called his mother after he was shot. She told law enforcement he called around 8 p.m. asking for help, but she initially thought he might be joking because of things he had said before.

Investigators examined surveillance footage, cellphone records and witness accounts. Witnesses said armed people approached Payne and others, demanded their belongings and fired shots. The investigation also considered whether a handgun Payne had recently displayed on social media could have been connected to an attempted robbery.

A relative’s fundraiser says Payne would have turned 16 on November 12 and leaves behind his mother and 17-year-old sister. His family is seeking help with funeral expenses. Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators.