Kayla Dixon, age 16, sat calmly Tuesday afternoon as Fulton County Superior Court Judge Karen Smith Woodson denied her bail and ruled that she will be tried as an adult in the killing of a man over a video gaming system that the victim had advertised for sale on Craigslist.

“The court is not inclined to grant bond,” Woodson said. “She poses a significant set of danger to herself and the community.”

Nathaniel Vivian, 20, who’s also charged in the shooting that killed 28-year-old Daniel John Zeitz, waived his court appearance Tuesday.

Dixon and Vivian thought they had the perfect plan to secure a PlayStation 4 gaming system, a Sandy Springs Police Department detective testified Tuesday.

David Lapides said Dixon and Vivian used their cellphones to coordinate the robbery and their computers to plot how to do it.

“There were numerous text messages between Dixon and Vivian discussing plans to rob someone,” Lapides said.

Police have charged Dixon and Vivian, her boyfriend, with murder in connection with the Sept. 12 incident.

Sandy Springs police spokesman Ron Momon said the pair tried to rob Zeitz of the PS4, and Vivian, who was in the driver's seat of a car, struggled with Zeitz, who was standing outside the car, for the gaming system.

During the struggle, Dixon allegedly fired a shot from a .25 caliber handgun, and the bullet passed through Vivian’s hand and struck Zeitz in the side of his chest, killing him, according to police.

Vivian and Dixon were later arrested when they went to Northside Hospital for treatment of Vivian’s gunshot wound to the hand, Momon said.

“Brookhaven police were at the hospital interviewing the injured man, who told them he was a victim of a crime in Brookhaven, but later told them he was shot while he and his girlfriend were at the Legends of Dunwoody Apartments to rob a man of his PS4 video gaming system that was advertised on Craigslist,” Momon said.

“Detectives also learned that the juvenile’s infant child, approximately 16 months, was in the back seat of the car during the robbery and shooting,” he said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

People are silhouetted against a huge Pride flag before the start of the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal

Featured

A native of Columbus and a fine arts graduate of Clark Atlanta, Amy Sherald was chosen as the official portrait artist of former first lady Michelle Obama. On the same week that the portrait was unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, it was also announced that Sherald was awarded the High Museum's 2018 David C. Driskell Prize. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Credit: Andrew Harnik