Three teenagers and one adult have been charged with murder in Albany, Georgia, after a mother discovered her 15-year-old son sH๏τ to death inside an abandoned house. The victim, Austin Payne, was found on November 1, 2026, following Halloween night.

Payne’s mother tracked his cellphone location after he failed to return home. She located him inside a vacant residence on the 800 block of Cameo Lane, where police later confirmed he had been sH๏τ. Albany Police Chief Michael Persley stated that Payne managed to call his mother after being wounded.

Investigators arrested 22-year-old Detravion Parker along with two 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old. All four were charged with murder and booked into the Dougherty County Jail. Additional names reported in local coverage include Jansquincey Donaldson (15), Omari Marion (15), and Adarious Wallace (16).

According to police and local reports, witnesses described a group of armed individuals approaching Payne and others who were walking together. The suspects allegedly demanded belongings and opened fire. Investigators have suggested Payne may have been targeted in connection with a handgun he had recently displayed on social media. Police reconstructed the events using surveillance footage, cellphone records, and witness statements.

Payne would have turned 16 on November 12. His family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs. He is survived by his mother and a 17-year-old sister. A relative described the family as struggling to process the sudden loss.

Albany police are asking anyone with additional information about the shooting to contact investigators at 229-431-2100.