The following vignettes describe the circumstances for killings not ruled self-defense by private individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns. The incidents below all occurred in Georgia. The descriptions include the current, known status of any charges filed against the concealed carry killer as reported by news sources as well as noting instances where the perpetrator committed suicide.
The Violence Policy Center welcomes any new information regarding the status of any case (with verifiable source(s)). Use this link to contact the VPC: http://www.vpc.org/contact.htm.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Hannah Payne PENDING
Date: May 7, 2019
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On May 7, 2019, concealed handgun permit holder Hannah Payne, 21, allegedly shot and killed Kenneth Herring, 62, following a traffic accident which Payne witnessed but was not involved in. According to police, Payne witnessed an accident between Herring and another driver. Herring left the scene of the accident and the other driver reported it to police. No one was injured and the car sustained minor damage. Payne followed Herring approximately a mile from the scene of the accident before using her Jeep to block the path of his pickup truck. According to police, “An altercation then ensued between the two of them and, during the altercation, Mr. Herring was shot and killed.” Payne was charged with one count of murder.
UPDATE: Payne was charged with two counts of felony murder, one count of malice murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment, and three counts of weapons possession during the commission of a crime in the shooting death of Kenneth Herring. A trial date was originally set for December 9, 2019, but was delayed multiple times with the most recent trial date set for March 9, 2021.
Source: “Hannah Payne murder trial delayed again; was set for March 9,” news-daily.com, April 8, 2021; “Armed woman witnessed accident, followed victim, police say,” news-daily.com, May 8, 2019.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Brenton Rhasheem Davis PENDING
Date: November 21, 2018
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On November 21, 2018, concealed handgun permit holder Brenton Rhasheem Davis, 24, allegedly shot and killed Tommy Jones III, 19, with a 9mm handgun in the parking lot of a Walgreens in Columbus, Georgia. Witnesses say they saw Davis and Jones enter the store together. When they left toward the parking lot, Jones ran from Davis who then allegedly shot Jones in the leg and back. Davis then walked up to Jones, who had collapsed, and allegedly fired more shots. Jones was shot at least four times. Nine shell casing from the 9mm handgun were found at the scene. A witness added that Davis then picked up a bag Jones had been carrying and then fled the scene. It is unknown what was inside the bag. Jones had gone to the store to meet Davis in order to buy a 45-caliber handgun from him. The two men did not previously know each other. Davis was charged with one count of murder.
UPDATE: On November 30, 2018, Brenton Rhasheem Davis pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of Tommy Jones III.
Source: “Man accused of murder outside Columbus Walgreen’s store pleads not guilty,” wrbl.com, December 1, 2018; “Shooting erupts over gun sale in Walgreens parking lot, police say,” ledger-enquirer.com, November 30, 2018.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Claud “Tex” McIver CONVICTED
Date: September 25, 2016
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On September 25, 2016, concealed handgun permit holder Claud “Tex” McIver, 73, allegedly shot and killed his wife Diane McIver, 63, inside their Ford Expedition SUV. McIver claimed the shooting was unintentional, with one of his lawyers saying the couple had pulled off the highway to avoid traffic while traveling around Atlanta. The lawyer claimed McIver had been sleeping in the back seat and saw people milling about in the street. He then asked his wife to get his gun from the center console of the SUV and fell back asleep while holding the gun in his lap. “I was suddenly awoken,” he told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I lurched and the gun fired.” McIver was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. On April 27, 2017, McIver was indicted on murder charges after further investigation by prosecutors, who became convinced the shooting was not unintentional. According to court documents, McIver instructed Patricia “Dani Jo” Carter, a friend of his wife who was driving the SUV when the shooting occurred, to tell police that she was not there. McIver also left a voicemail with Carter’s husband asking him to stop his wife from “communicating her recollections of the facts and circumstances of the death of Diane McIver to law enforcement officers, because said statements placed the defendant at imminent risk of immediate incarceration.” He also asked Carter to then delete the voicemail. The indictment also alleges that McIver told Bill Crane, who was acting as a spokesman for him after the shooting, to retract a statement he made to the media. In the statement, Crane had said that when the McIvers pulled off the highway, Tex McIver feared they had happened upon a Black Lives Matter protest, which was why he had pulled out the gun. Crane also said the gun had gone off after the SUV hit a bump. McIver was charged with malice murder, felony murder, and five other counts, including attempting to unlawfully influence witnesses in the case.
UPDATE: On April 23, 2018, Claud “Tex” McIver was found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, and witness influencing. The felony murder charge carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Source: “Tex McIver guilty of felony murder, other charges,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 23, 2018; “Tex McIver charged with wife’s murder,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 27, 2017; “A gun found in his Atlanta condo, Tex McIver is jailed,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 26, 2017; “Atlanta lawyer’s bail set at $200,000 in wife’s shooting,” www.cnn.com, December 22, 2016.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Torrance Menefee PENDING
Date: June 18, 2016
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On June 18, 2016, concealed handgun permit holder Torrance Menefee allegedly shot and killed Kenneth Holloway Jr., 25, following an argument. Witnesses told authorities that the two men were arguing prior to the shooting, but accounts differed on the nature of the argument. One witness told police that Menefee said that Holloway was making fun of him, while another said there was a dispute over a bottle of alcohol. Menefee turned himself into police early in the morning following the shooting and gave police his weapon and his concealed carry permit which was issued in Alabama. Menefee was charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self defense.
Source: “Detective: Man shot, killed friend after argument on 17th Avenue,” ledger-enquirer.com, June 24, 2016.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Glenn Patrick Lampien CONVICTED
Date: August 16, 2014
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On August 16, 2014, concealed handgun permit holder Glenn Patrick Lampien, 53, allegedly shot and killed May Araim, 68, as she walked down North Main Street in the “faux-Alpine village” resort town of Helen, Georgia. Lampien’s handgun apparently fired unintentionally, with a round wounding his hand before striking and killing Araim as she walked with several of her relatives. Lampien was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
UPDATE: On January 17, 2017, Glenn Patrick Lampien was found guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the death of May Araim.
Source: “Jasper man found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2014 incident in Helen,” wrwh.com, January 18, 2017; “Helen group asks to place memorial to shooting victim,” accessnorthga.com, September 17, 2014; “Victim of Helen shooting was visiting before trip to native Iraq,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 19, 2014.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Michael Dewayne Bowman CONVICTED
Date: May 31, 2014
People Killed: 1
Law Enforcement Officers Killed: 1
Circumstances: On May 31, 2014, concealed handgun permit holder Michael Dewayne Bowman, 30, allegedly shot and killed Griffin Police Officer Kevin Jordan, 43, who was working an off-duty security job in uniform at a Waffle House restaurant. According to police, Bowman was drunk when he and his girlfriend Chantell Mixon, 28, entered the Waffle House after 2 AM on the morning of May 31, 2014. According to police,Bowman and Mixon caused a disturbance and were asked to leave the restaurant. An altercation spilled into the parking lot where Officer Jordan attempted to arrest Mixon. Officer Jordan, a father of seven, was on the ground attempting to restrain Mixon when Bowman allegedly shot him multiple times in the back. Officer Jordan’s brother Raymond, who was visiting from Illinois, then shot Bowman, who was taken to the hospital in stable condition. Raymond Jordan also had a concealed carry permit. Bowman and Mixon were charged with felony murder.
UPDATE: On February 16, 2017, Michael Bowman was found guilty but mentally ill in the death of Griffin police officer Kevin Jordan. The next day he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Source: “Former soldier gets life without parole for murdering police officer,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 17, 2017; “Griffin Tragedy; Drunk and armed at 2 a.m.,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 8, 2014; “Funeral next Monday for slain Griffin police officer,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 2, 2014.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Quintavious Judon CONVICTED
Date: April 23, 2014
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On April 23, 2014, concealed handgun permit holder Quintavious Judon, 26, allegedly shot and killed a suspected car thief. Judon was sitting in Fletcher’s Restaurant in DeKalb County, Georgia, when he saw a man entering Judon’s car in the parking lot. According to the police, Judon went outside to confront the man and fired shots, hitting the suspected thief. Georgia law forbids the use of deadly force to protect property. The wounded man tried to flee the scene in his own vehicle but crashed in the parking lot and later died in the hospital. Police did not immediately release the name of the deceased man. Judon has been charged with murder.
UPDATE: On February 24, 2015, Quintavious Judon was convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
Source: “Case Information, The State of Georgia v. Quintavious Q. Judon,” ody.dekalbcountyga.gov, downloaded March 20, 2017; “Man facing murder charges after shooting alleged car thief,” MyFoxAtlanta, April 24, 2014.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Henry Harlan Wooten SUICIDE
Date: March 10, 2013
People Killed: 2 (including shooter)
Circumstances: On March 10, 2013, concealed handgun permit holder Henry Harlan Wooten, 70, shot and killed his longtime companion Kay Cornell Janus, 72, in the garage of her house before turning the gun on himself in the middle of the cul-de-sac where she lived. According to a neighbor, the couple had recently split up and Wooten was facing health and financial difficulties. The neighbor stated that Wooten often carried his gun in his truck, and the neighbor warned him that the “gun is ultimately going to cause more harm than good. Chances are you are going to use it against someone you know.”
Source: “Police say Marietta shootings were likely a murder-suicide,” mdjonline.com, March 11, 2013.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Herbert Lowe CONVICTED
Date: January 29, 2013
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On January 29, 2013, concealed handgun permit holder Herbert Lowe, 61, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Lisa Marie Davis, 49, at her home after she asked him to move out. Davis’ friend Velinsa Johnson was also in the home at the time of the shooting and was held hostage by Lowe for four hours. According to prosecutors, Lowe saw Johnson looking at him following the shooting and chased her into a bedroom saying “I should kill you too,” as Johnson was pleading for her life. Lowe eventually left the house, telling Johnson to wait 10 minutes before calling 911 so the police wouldn’t come after him. Lowe claimed self-defense in the case, but Davis was unarmed and preparing lunch in her kitchen when she was shot twice and killed. In June 2014, Lowe was convicted of felony murder, false imprisonment, and two counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Source: “Lowe faces life in prison for killing girlfriend in 2013,” Clayton News Daily, August 15, 2014; “Man held woman hostage after shooting, says prosecutor,” Clayton News Daily, June 11, 2014.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Javaris Crittenton CONVICTED
Date: August 19, 2011
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On August 19, 2011, concealed handgun permit holder Javaris Crittenton, 23, allegedly killed Julian Jones, 22 years old and a mother of four, in a drive by shooting with an assault rifle in downtown Atlanta. Police stated that they did not believe Jones was the intended victim of the shooting. Crittenton was a former National Basketball Association player who played two seasons in the league, his career ending after a gun incident in the locker room of the Washington Wizards. Crittenton, along with then-Wizard Gilbert Arenas, was suspended by the NBA for bringing guns into the locker room in the wake of a prior dispute with Arenas. Both were suspended by the NBA for the remainder of that season and Crittenton eventually pleaded guilty to a criminal charge resulting in probation for one year. In September 2011, Crittenton was released from jail on $230,000 bond while awaiting trial for murder.
UPDATE: On April 2, 2013, Crittenton was indicted on murder charges in the death of Julian Jones.
UPDATE: On April 29, 2015, Javaris Crittenton pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in the death of Julian Jones during an attempt to shoot a rival gang member. Crittenton was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Crittenton also admitted to being a member of the Mansfield Gangster Crips.
Source: “Javaris Crittenton pleads guilty to manslaughter, gets 23-year term,” espn.com, April 29, 2015; “Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton indicted on murder charges,” al.com, April 2, 2013; “Ex-NBA player Crittenton released from jail on murder charge,” www.reuters.com, September 28, 2011.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Ardese Day CONVICTED
Date: May 21, 2011
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On May 21, 2011, concealed handgun permit holder Ardese Day, 22, allegedly shot and killed childhood friend George C. McGhee, 28, with a 38 caliber revolver while watching an NBA playoff game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder with two other friends. According to investigators, Day unholstered the handgun while sitting on a couch after it began pressing into his hip. Both McGhee and Day then handled the loaded weapon, which discharged as Day handed it to McGhee. As McGhee staggered back, clutching his chest with both hands, Day initially thought he was “joking around.” Day, charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct, posted bond of $3,500 and was released from the Muscogee County Jail. Sheila Mullen, a friend of McGhee, thought that the bond was too low, stating, “When you purchase a gun, you purchase that responsibility.”
UPDATE: On August 13, 2012, Ardese Day pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of George C. McGhee. Day was sentenced to 10 years of probation and 250 hours of community service.
Source: “Man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter,” Columbus Ledger Enquirer, August 13, 2012; “Columbus man released on bond in accidental shooting of friend, Ledger-Inquirer.com, May 28, 2011.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Charles Johnston CONVICTED
Date: March 27, 2008
People Killed: 3
Circumstances: On March 27, 2008, former substitute teacher and concealed handgun permit holder Charles Johnston entered Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, carrying three handguns: a .32, a 380, and a 9mm. Johnston, apparently angered over the care his mother had received while she was in the hospital, came looking for a nurse he know only as “Pete.” Traveling up to the fifth floor intensive care unit where his mother had been treated in 2004 before she died of natural causes, Johnston followed nurse Peter D. Wright after hearing his named called out and shot him in the head and chest, killing him. While leaving the hospital, Johnston shot and killed a 44-year-old administrative assistant. Before leaving the hospital grounds, Johnston shot 76-year-old James David Baker, who had pulled into a parking space facing Johnston’s car. Johnston shot Baker in the head as he got out of his car, perhaps believing him to be a police officer. A plainclothes detective shot Johnston in the shoulder moments later and he was arrested. Johnston was charged with three counts of murder, four counts of aggravated assault on an officer, one count of aggravated assault on a civilian, and one count of possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime.
UPDATE: In June 2009, Charles Johnston pled guilty to the murders of Peter Wright, James Baker, and Leslie Harris. In court, Johnston stated, “I had 72 rounds. I was going to spray the entire 5th floor. I was just that angry.” According to Johnston’s public defender, “He has remorse for the 2nd and 3rd victim that he killed..but has no remorse for killing nurse Wright. He intended to kill him.”
Source: “Charles Johnston pleads guilty,” www.wtvm.com, date unknown; “Ga. Town Reeling From Hospital Slayings,” Associated Press via www.foxnews.com, March 28, 2008; “Information Released About The Weapons Used in Doctor’s Hospital Shooting,” www.wtvm.com, March 28, 2008.