An Atlanta man told prosecutors he "just lost it" when he stabbed his neighbor 39 times.
Jason Welborn, 27, was sentenced Thursday to life plus 20 years after pleading guilty to killing his neighbor, Kenneth Colbert.
Prosecutors said Welborn robbed Colbert, 48, and then stabbed him 39 times in May 2008 in his South Buckhead apartment.
Welborn pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery and possession of a knife during a felony, Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. said Thursday.
Colbert’s girlfriend discovered his body in the Darlington Apartment Complex. He was in a pool of blood and had stab wounds on his face, neck and chest, prosecutors said.
Investigators said they found Colbert's apartment door open and "obvious signs of a robbery."
They identified Welborn as a suspect after following a trail of blood from Colbert's body, downstairs to Welborn's apartment, prosecutors said. Police said they also found bloody clothes, bandages and Colbert's wallet inside Welborn's apartment.
"He eventually called police two days later claiming he ‘just lost it’ in a deal gone bad with the victim," said Yvette Brown, a spokeswoman for the district attorney.
Welborn first told police he would surrender. After not hearing from him, officers arrested him several days later in Fairburn.
Welborn also admitted to killing Colbert, stealing his wallet and some marijuana, prosecutors said. However, he said his attack was only after the victim charged him with a knife.
About the Author
