A father faces life in prison without parole plus 15 additional years for pumping six bullets into a man and killing him rather than repaying his son’s debt.
Joe Rayton, 49, was convicted of murder and other charges in connection with the May 20, 2016, shooting death of Antonio Ladson, Fulton County prosecutors said Friday in a news release.
According to information presented in court, Rayton’s son, Joe “Man Man” Adams, stole $100 worth of money and drugs from Ladson days before the deadly shooting.
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“Rather than repaying his son’s debts, Rayton decided to murder Ladson instead,” the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said in the release.
Authorities said Darrius “Dread” Winfield drove Rayton from his Ellenwood home to a northwest Atlanta residence. Adams was in the car, too.
The three men arrived at the location on Elmwood Road about 1:30 a.m., and Ladson was outside the home in the front seat of his vehicle. Rayton had a bag containing a firearm, a wallet and a Mason jar filled with marijuana, according to prosecutors.
Ladson, 29, was on the phone when Rayton exited his vehicle, walked up to him and started a short conversation. Moments later, Rayton threw the Mason jar at Ladson to distract him and fired multiple shots, authorities said.
Ladson was hit four times in the chest and legs. He tried to crawl into the back seat to get away, but Rayton continued to fire his .40-caliber handgun, prosecutors said.
Ladson was hit in the lower back and buttock area.
“In total, the victim was shot six times, and he died at the scene,” officials said in the release.
Rayton returned to his vehicle, drove back to Ellenwood and met his wife at a gas station about 5 a.m.
“The son handed Mrs. Rayton the murder weapon and told her to get rid of it,” prosecutors said. “Instead, Rayton’s wife kept the weapon and did not tell anyone about it until January 27, 2017.”
That friend provided the handgun to Atlanta police, and it matched the ballistics found at the murder scene.
In addition to murder, Rayton was convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Rayton is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. May 20.
Winfield and Adams were not charged in connection with the incident, officials said.
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