Man kills pregnant girlfriend breaking up with him, then calls his mom, Georgia cops say
A Georgia man convicted in a double shooting that killed his pregnant girlfriend, their unborn child and her uncle will serve life in prison, according to prosecutors.
Kristopher Martin Johnson, 34, was found guilty Feb. 6 on charges stemming from the March 2021 incident, the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office said in a Feb. 12 news release.
Johnson gunned down Carla Marie Payne, 30, and her uncle, Thomas Richard “Doodle” Donaldson, 65, at a home they all shared in Canton on March 23, 2021, according to prosecutors. They said Payne was 30 weeks pregnant and had tried breaking up with Johnson before the deadly shooting.
“Carla was preparing to welcome baby Mason into the world while the father of her child was living a double life, messaging other women and purchasing firearms,” Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe said in the release.
“He took the lives of three precious souls, one of whom never even got the chance to take his first breath,” Ashe said.
An autopsy showed Payne was shot multiple times in the chest and left arm, according to prosecutors. Donaldson had gunshot wounds to his abdomen, right thigh, left arm and both forearms.
After the shooting, prosecutors said Johnson drove to an Ingles grocery store parking lot and called his mother, who urged him to call 911. He reported the shooting 23 minutes after calling his mom, authorities said.
In an interview with detectives, Johnson said he “blacked out” and could only recall arguing with his girlfriend that evening, according to the DA’s office. He added that he wasn’t taking his medication at the time.
A judge found Johnson guilty but mentally ill, sentencing him to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole plus 30 years, prosecutors said. He’ll receive mental health treatment while serving out his sentence.
He was convicted on two counts of malice murder, feticide, exploitation and intimidation of disabled adult, and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the DA’s office said.
“May this sentence bring some measure of peace as they continue to mourn the lives of their loved ones who were so tragically taken that night,” District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said in the release.
Canton is about a 40-mile drive northwest from downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Man kills pregnant girlfriend breaking up with him, then calls his mom, Georgia cops say."