Man Accused of Beating Former South Forsyth Track Star to Death Gets Murder Rap

The man who allegedly beat a former South Forsyth High School student to death outside a college town bar is now facing felony murder charges for his actions, the Statesboro Herald reports.

Grant James Spencer was arrested on Aug. 28 and charged with aggravated assault for allegedly beating Michael Gatto outside Rude Rudy’s bar in Statesboro near the campus of Georgia Southern University. Gatto, who graduated from South Forsyth High School in May, was starting his freshman year at the university.

The 18-year-old former track standout was rushed to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, but died of his injuries later that day.

On Tuesday, the Statesboro Police Department arrested Spencer and upgraded the charges against him to felony murder. Spencer was already in detention at the Bulloch County Jail due to his aggravated assault arrest the day Gatto died.

Spencer worked as a bouncer at Rude Rudy’s but was not on duty at the time of the assault. He has since been fired by the bar.

South Forsyth High School’s track program tweeted a short statement concerning Gatto’s death on Aug. 28.

“Michael Gatto was an integral part of our track program for 4 years,” the tweet reads. “He was a tremendous young man and will be missed by all that knew him.