A man who shot and killed his mother at an East Point motel because he believed he was being poisoned was sentenced to prison Tuesday, officials said.
John Headspeth, 32, was found guilty of 11 counts including murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and third-degree cruelty to children. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus 20 years, in the death of Beverly Headspeth on Jan. 27, 2021, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Pallavi Bailey said.
Headspeth was living in a motel with his mother, his mother’s boyfriend, his sister, and his sister’s 8-year-old and 4-year-old at the time. Officials said that in the months leading up to the killing, Headspeth “developed an erroneous belief that his mother and her boyfriend were poisoning him by adding an unknown substance to his food and drinks.”
On the day of the incident, Bailey said Headspeth entered the motel room, pointed a gun at his mother’s boyfriend and told his mother to say a prayer. After she obliged, he fatally shot her at close range, authorities said. Officials confirmed John Headspeth bought the gun used in the killing.
His sister and her two children were in the room and witnessed the shooting. Officials said his sister ran into the hallway after the gunfire to seek out safety, but he followed her and fired several rounds in her direction. He was eventually able to steal her cellphone.
Headspeth fled from the motel, but it didn’t take long for him to be arrested. He surrendered to East Point police that same day. In a statement to police, Headspeth indicated he thought his actions were “righteous and justified” due to his belief that he was being poisoned for months, according to Bailey.
Authorities confirmed that there was no evidence indicating that he was being poisoned.
“This was a tragic case of family violence resulting in death, fear and trauma,” District Attorney Fani Willis said in a statement. “I am keeping this family, especially the two children who witnessed a horrific murder at a tender young age, in my prayers.”
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