The mother of an 18-year-old shot to death in a Carrollton parking deck last year says the man accused of killing her was “angry, drunk, armed and dangerous” and that a local restaurant should have prevented him from causing harm.
Richard Sigman, a former instructor at the University of West Georgia, had spent July 29, 2022, drinking in bars until he was forced to leave Leopoldo’s Pizza, a lawsuit filed in Carroll County Superior Court states. From there, Sigman fired multiple shots in a nearby parking deck, striking and killing Anna Jones while she sat in a car with friends, according to investigators.
Jones was set to begin her freshman year at the Carrollton university and hoped to become a nurse. She and Sigman did not know each other, and investigators do not believe she was targeted in the shooting.
Sigman is facing criminal charges in the girl’s death, including murder, but a wrongful death suit filed last month against the former instructor, the pizza restaurant and its owner is also seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages. The suit contends that Leopoldo’s did not have adequate security measures in place, leading to the teen’s death.
“Unfortunately, the employees and security at Leopoldo’s Pizza exercised their control over Sigman in a negligent and reckless manner,” the lawsuit states. “Rather than calling the police or otherwise ensure that a drunk, armed, belligerent man did not continue to endanger lives, security forced Sigman out in the public without taking any reasonable precautions and without any notice to anyone.”
Sigman’s lawyer declined to comment on the lawsuit. The restaurant’s owner, Federico Giminez, did not respond to a request to comment.
The lawsuit alleges that the 48-year-old Sigman was well-known at the pizzeria and other nearby businesses for his “drinking and belligerent” behavior.
Sigman had been at Leopoldo’s on the square when he got into an argument with another man, police previously said. The man said Sigman threatened to shoot him and told a security guard, who saw Sigman with a gun and told him to leave the restaurant.
Sigman left, according to witnesses, and walked into the parking deck. That’s where he fired shots at the parked car with Jones inside, according to police.
A business instructor at West Georgia who also worked in real estate, Sigman was fired from the university following his arrest. He had no known criminal history prior to the arrest.
Jones, a lifelong resident of Carroll County, was a cheerleader, played soccer and ran track at Mount Zion High School and was selected for the homecoming court, according to her online obituary. Her funeral was held in Villa Rica.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
In August 2022, a grand jury indicted Sigman on eight charges, including malice murder, felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Investigators believe Sigman legally purchased the gun, which was recovered during his arrest.
Sigman remained this week in the Carroll County jail, where he is being held without bond. Earlier this week, his attorney filed a motion requesting that Sigman be allowed to undergo a psychological evaluation, court records show.
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