💔 “He Called His Mother for Help”: Georgia Boy, 15, Found Dead After Halloween — Four Face Murder Charges Days Before His 16th Birthday

At 8:03 p.m. on Halloween night, Austin Payne made a phone call that would become one of the most haunting details of a Georgia murder investigation. The 15-year-old told his mother he had been shot and needed help. The next morning, she followed his cellphone location to an abandoned apartment. Inside, she discovered the son she had been desperately trying to find.

ALBANY, GEORGIA — November 10, 2026. Four people, including three teenagers, face murder charges following the dєatᩚh of Austin Payne, a 15-year-old Georgia boy whose final phone call to his mother has become central to an investigation into what happened on Halloween night.

Austin was found dead inside an abandoned apartment on Cameo Lane in Albany on November 1.

The discovery came after his mother grew concerned when he failed to return home and stopped responding to attempts to contact him.

Using cellphone tracking, she located his phone and went to the property herself.

Police say Austin had called her hours earlier to report that he had been shot.

The case has drawn widespread attention because of the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, the age of the accused and a painful detail shared by his family.

Austin would have celebrated his 16th birthday on November 12.

A Phone Call at 8:03 P.M.

The investigation centers on a series of events that unfolded on Saturday, October 31.

According to an Albany Police Department incident report obtained by WALB, surveillance cameras recorded six people walking toward an apartment on Cameo Lane at approximately 7:35 p.m.

At around 7:58 p.m., the footage reportedly showed someone wearing a hoodie and shorts jumping from a window.

Five minutes later, Austin called his mother.

Police Chief Michael Persley confirmed during a November 2 news conference that Austin reported he had been shot.

The incident report states that he also said he needed help.

According to the report, his mother initially believed the call might be a joke because of things Austin had said previously.

After finishing work and failing to reach him again, she became increasingly worried.

Police are continuing to examine the timeline of the incident.

The available reporting does not establish precisely what happened during every minute between the call and the discovery the following morning.

The Search That Ended at an Abandoned Apartment

By Sunday morning, Austin had still not returned home.

His mother began searching for him.

She used his cellphone location to trace his last known whereabouts to a property on Cameo Lane.

The building appeared abandoned.

According to police, she entered the apartment and found Austin unresponsive on the floor.

Officers were dispatched to 810 Cameo Lane, Apartment B, at approximately 9:51 a.m.

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler later pronounced Austin dead at around 10:30 a.m.

What began as a mother’s attempt to find her missing child had ended in an unimaginable discovery.

The police investigation now seeks to reconstruct the circumstances that led to Austin’s dєatᩚh.

Witnesses Describe an Armed Confrontation

Investigators interviewed witnesses who reported being with Austin near a path connecting Sands Drive and Cameo Lane.

According to the police report, the group was approached by armed individuals who demanded their belongings.

Witnesses said śh́óts were fired.

Detectives searching the area recovered seven 9mm cartridge casings.

Investigators have also examined whether Austin may have been targeted during an attempted robbery.

Some witness accounts suggested the incident could have involved a handgun Austin had previously displayed on social media.

However, police have not publicly established that theory as the definitive motive.

The evidence will need to be tested through the criminal proceedings.

Four People Arrested

On November 4, Albany police announced that four suspects had been arrested and charged in connection with Austin’s dєatᩚh.

They were identified as Jansquincey Donaldson, 15; Omari Marion, 15; Adarious Wallace, 16; and Detravion Parker, 22.

The three teenagers and Parker were charged with murder.

Authorities said the arrests followed interviews and other investigative work.

All four were transported to the Dougherty County Jail.

The charges do not establish guilt, and the accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Adult Suspect Faces Additional Charges

Court and jail records reported by People provide further details about the allegations against Parker.

In addition to murder-related charges, Parker faces accusations including first-degree burglary and unlawful firearm possession.

The records indicate that he is being held without bond while awaiting further proceedings.

The precise roles of all four defendants remain subject to the prosecution’s evidence and the court’s findings.

Investigators have not publicly provided a complete account establishing who fired the fatal śh́óts or exactly how the alleged confrontation unfolded.

Two Days Before His Birthday

Austin’s family is now confronting a loss made even more painful by the approaching date of his birthday.

He would have turned 16 on Thursday, November 12.

Instead of celebrating another year of his life, relatives have been raising money for funeral expenses.

A GoFundMe organized by a family member describes the grief following Austin’s dєatᩚh.

He is survived by his mother and 17-year-old sister.

The loss has left them facing not only the emotional impact of his dєatᩚh but also the practical demands of arranging a funeral.

For the family, the coming birthday will be a reminder of everything Austin will never have the chance to experience.

The Questions Still Facing Investigators

Although police have made four arrests, important questions remain.

What happened during the encounter described by witnesses?

How did Austin end up inside the abandoned apartment?

What occurred after he called his mother?

And what evidence will prosecutors present to establish each defendant’s alleged involvement?

Investigators have reviewed surveillance footage, cellphone records and witness statements.

Those sources have helped authorities construct a preliminary timeline.

But a completed account of Austin’s final hours has not yet been publicly established.

A Mother’s Search and a Family’s Loss

The most painful part of the case is not simply that four people have been accused of murder.

It is the sequence of events leading to Austin’s discovery.

A teenager called his mother for help.

He did not return home.

She searched for him when she could no longer reach him.

And his cellphone led her to the place where he was found.

The case has become a devastating reminder of how quickly an ordinary family evening can turn into tᩚraɢedy.

But it is also an active criminal investigation.

The allegations against the four defendants must be evaluated through the legal system.

A Birthday That Will Never Come

Austin Payne’s 16th birthday was supposed to fall on November 12.

His family should have been preparing to celebrate.

Instead, they are mourning a 15-year-old son and brother.

The final phone call, the abandoned apartment and the unanswered questions surrounding Halloween night have left Austin’s family searching for understanding.

Police have arrested four people.

Prosecutors are pursuing criminal charges.

But the proceedings cannot restore the future Austin lost.

He was only 15. He called his mother for help. And just days before his next birthday, his family is preparing to say goodbye.

Anyone with information about the investigation can contact the Albany Police Department at 229-431-2100.