LOUISA COUNTY, Va. – A teenager faces 128 years in prison in connection with the 2019 murder of a man and malicious wounding of his wife in Louisa County, Virginia.
The teenage boy was tried as an adult on charges of first-degree murder, malicious wounding, robbery, burglary and other firearm charges. He faced a potential of three life sentences and an additional 25 years. The teenager’s name won’t be released, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Louisa County, Rusty McGuire, who announced the sentencing on Tuesday.
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As 10 News first reported in November 2019, the teenager shot an elderly couple outside of their home in Louisa County. 82-year-old Roger Payne was killed, while 73-year-old Nancy Payne survived after playing dead and walking to a friend’s house after the teenager left the scene.
McGuire said the “heinous” incident started on November 10, 2019 when the teenager went to the couple’s home and claimed his girlfriend had been abducted. McGuire said authorities believe he was “scouting out the home for future murder.”
The teenager returned to the couple’s home two days later and told the couple everything was fine with his girlfriend, according to McGuire. The teenager left and came back wearing different clothes and carrying a sawed-off shotgun, according to McGuire.
The teenager told the couple “he had been watching them and knew they had money,” according to McGuire.
McGuire said the teenager also demanded the couple’s money and forced them to get dressed. He then took their cell phones, cut the phone lines to the house, and “marched” the couple outside to the train tracks near the house. McGuire said the teenager told the couple they would be fine.
Outside near the train tracks, the teenager shot both Roger and Nancy Payne at point-blank range, according to McGuire. Roger Payne died while Nancy Payne played dead and survived.
Several hours after the murder, police saw the teenager driving the couple’s car in Nelson County, according to McGuire. The teenager bought gifts for his girlfriend with stolen money from the couple.
Police found the murder weapon in the trunk, and immediately arrested the teenager.