Dad Kills Man Over $100 And Drugs His Son Stole From The Victim

ATLANTA -- A 49-year-old metro Atlanta father, Joe Rayton, has been convicted of murdering a man who was victimized by Rayton's son. A Fulton County Superior Court jury found Rayton guilty of murdering Antonio Ladson, 29, on May 20, 2016.

Rayton left his home in Ellenwood, Georgia, with a bag that contained a firearm, a wallet, and a mason jar filled with marijuana. Darrius “Dread” Winfield drove Rayton’s vehicle and Rayton’s son, Joe “Man Man” Adams was also in the vehicle. The three men arrived at a location along Elmwood Road in Atlanta around 1:30 am.

Ladson was sitting in the front seat of his vehicle and talking on the phone, outside the home when the three men arrived. Rayton walked to the driver’s side of Ladson’s vehicle. There was a short conversation and moments later, Rayton threw the mason jar filled with marijuana at Ladson, as a method of distraction, and fired several shots in Ladson's direction. Ladson was struck four times in the chest and legs. Ladson tried to crawl into the backseat, but Rayton continued to fire his .40 caliber handgun. Ladson was struck several more times in the lower back and buttock. In total, he was shot six times, and died at the scene.

Rayton returned to his vehicle and fled the scene with his son and Winfield. Rayton’s motivation for the shooting centered around the actions of days earlier, who stole $100 worth of money and drugs. Rather than re-paying his son’s debts, Rayton decided to murder Ladson instead.

When Rayton returned home around 5 am, he met his wife at a gas station. The son, “Man Man,” handed Mrs. Rayton the murder weapon and told her to get rid of it. Instead, Rayton’s wife kept the weapon and did not tell anyone about it until January 27, 2017. A friend of the woman's provided then gun to Atlanta police, which ultimately matched the ballistics found at the murder scene.