He was a World War II veteran with every intention of making it to 100 years old.
But William “Billy” Scott’s life was cut short Monday when he was gunned down during a home invasion near Decatur. A retired nuclear engineer who served in the Pacific Theater during the war, the 97-year-old was finally vaccinated against COVID-19 and eager to get out more after the pandemic, according to Jeff Payne, his second cousin.
Still mentally sharp and spry for his age, the Atlanta native and Georgia Tech graduate hoped to teach himself Spanish. Payne sent him a few CDs in the mail, but Scott never got the chance to open them.
A family friend discovered Scott’s body about 10 a.m. Tuesday after stopping by to check on him. Authorities later determined he had been shot to death.
DeKalb County police have released few details about the case, but a man and woman were arrested Wednesday evening and charged with his murder, a department spokeswoman said.
Before shooting him inside the house where his mother had lived, they forced Scott to sign over a $2,500 check, Payne said.
The family alerted detectives after noticing the missing funds, and police arrested Devin Michele Young and Mark Patrick Fleck. Both are also charged with home invasion, and Young faces an additional count of third-degree forgery after allegedly cashing the check using her real name.
The suspects didn’t know Scott, but Payne thinks the two likely canvassed the home along Wintergreen Lane and figured the lifelong bachelor would make an easy target.
“It sucks,” said Payne, who lives in South Carolina. “I was just visiting with him last week and we were talking about hitting 100. He was in great health, mentally sharp and I think he would have made it.”
During their last visit, the two went to Waffle House — twice — shopped for sandals at Phipps Plaza and had a nice trout dinner at Leon’s Full Service in downtown Decatur. It was the first time Scott had been out in months and he dressed for the occasion.
“He got his coat and tie on, put on his little hat. He ate every morsel of the trout we bought. I mean, he just devoured it,” Payne said, chuckling as he remembered their last dinner together. “He was pumped.”
Credit: Family Photo
Credit: Family Photo
Payne called it a shame that the U.S. veteran and member of the “Greatest Generation” lived through so much only to be killed in such a heinous way. Scott’s vision wasn’t what it once was, and Payne doesn’t think he would have been able to identify his killers anyway. To sign the check, he said, Scott must have used a special magnifying machine he had at home.
“The sad part is he probably couldn’t see them,” Payne said. “It’s so senseless. Just take the guy’s check, but don’t shoot him.”
He said his older cousin lived a good life and was a “truly remarkable man.” Payne said he’ll miss their conversations and the way Scott always closed his eyes when he laughed really hard.
Funeral arrangements are still being made, but Scott’s family plans to hold a private service sometime next week.
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