Teen Pleads Guilty In Douglasville Backyard Murder

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — A 19-year-old Douglasville man is on his way to prison after admitting to shooting another local man to death during an attempt to rob him.

Ortegas Franklin pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of malice murder and two counts of felony murder in the Nov. 14, 2016 shooting death of Mark Stephens.

At about 1:45 p.m. that day, Franklin walked into the backyard of a home on Warren Drive, where a group of people was gathered playing cards. With two handguns — one in each hand — pointed at Stephens and the card players, he demanded everything Stephens had and took a black bag from him.

Franklin then demanded everything Stephens had in his pockets.

At that point, Stephens slapped Franklin's hand away. Franklin appeared to become angry, witnesses said, and told the people gathered in the yard, "No disrespect to y'all, but y'all don't want to see what is about to happen."

Everyone except Franklin, Stephens and a single bystander took off running around the corner of the house. Franklin shot Stephens once in the side and the bystander ran away. A few seconds later, there were two more gunshots.

Witnesses came back into the backyard and found Stephens on the ground. He'd been shot four times and his pockets were turned inside out. He had no pulse by the time an emergency medical team arrived.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office and Douglasville Police Department investigated the case.

Cellphone records showed Franklin going from the Royal Inn, where he was living at the time, to near Warren Drive shortly before the shooting. An acquaintance told authorities he had driven Franklin to Warren Drive and let him out in front of the house where the shooting happened.

Five witnesses at the scene picked Franklin out of a photograph lineup and, at his plea hearing, he admitted to the shooting and apologized to Stephens' family.

"This is a tragic case," said Douglas County District Attorney Brian Fortner. "Ortegas Franklin took the life of Mark Stephens over money. Robbing someone of money is bad enough, but Franklin robbed Mark’s family of a life that can never be replaced. Franklin left them with a lifetime full of pain and sorrow. In doing so, he sacrificed a large part of his own life in the process."

Franklin was sentenced to life in prison by Judge William McClain.

Photo courtesy Douglas County District Attorney's Office