LAYTON KIEV LESTER | 15 at the time of his arrest, was charged with felony murder and armed robbery in 2007 | Killed Correctional Officer at Smith State Prison in 2023 | 2 letters

Layton Lester. Lot of 2 letters: (1) Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Atlanta Metro, GA. Pmk: October 18, 2023 and (2) Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Atlanta Metro, GA. Pmk: November 20, 2023. Content unknown. SEALED.

Jury convicts murder victim's great-nephew

Layton Lester (b. 1991 | age 32), who was 15 at the time of his arrest, was tried as an adult. Lester faced multiple charges including murder, two counts of felony murder, armed robbery, burglary, and possession of a firearm during a crime. Layton Lester was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Lorrine Bozeman. Bozeman, who lived in a house with her mother and who was fifteen-year-old Lester’s great aunt, received a large amount of cash that she was planning to use to buy a piece of property. On the evening of April 29, 2007, Lester was at co-indictee Shurrod Rich’s house. Rich’s brother was present and heard Lester suggest to Rich that they “go rob” Bozeman, telling Rich that they could get $5,000 from the robbery. Between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. on the same evening, Bozeman’s front door was kicked in and she was shot twice. Bozeman’s sister, Vernel Clay, who lived several houses away, heard the gunshots and saw two people running through her backyard afterwards. When Rich and Lester returned to Rich’s house, Rich’s brother observed that Lester had changed into black clothes, was breathing hard, was nervous, and later had cash to spend for food. Rich and Lester told Sean Ross, a friend of theirs who lived in the area, that they had robbed and shot Bozeman and that she had screamed. After Lester’s mother overheard Lester talking on the phone and noticed that he was acting nervous and scared, she grew concerned and approached law enforcement.

The jury would find Lester guilty on all counts, and he was ultimately sentenced to life in prison for malice murder, a concurrent term of 20 years for armed robbery, and terms of 20 years for burglary to run consecutively to the murder sentence and 5 years for the firearm count to run consecutively to the burglary sentence. The felony-murder counts were vacated by operation of law.

On appeal, Lester contends that the trial court erred in admitting statements he made to law enforcement after Bozeman’s death and in denying his “motion for mistrial” arising from the presence of an alternate juror during jury deliberations. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed.

Tifton man jailed for murder of prison guard

A Tifton man serving a life sentence for a Tift County (GA) murder in 2007 is being charged in the killing of a prison guard at Smith State Prison in Glennville.

Layton Kiev Lester, 32, is accused of using a “homemade weapon” to attack correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, who began his corrections career at the prison in April, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).

Clark was escorting Lester and another inmate, Marko Willingham, from the dining hall when the officer was assaulted from behind with a homemade weapon. Willingham “stepped in to assist Officer Clark and was also assaulted. Both Officer Clark and (Willingham) were transported to local hospitals,” where Clark “tragically succumbed to his injuries,” the statement read.

Willingham remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

“The entire GDC team is mourning the loss of one of our own, and we collectively express our deepest condolences to Officer Clark’s family and friends,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “We will support them as they navigate this tragedy over the coming days, weeks, and months.”

A Tift County jury in 2009 had found Lester guilty of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death and robbery of his great-aunt Lorrine Bozeman, who had received $5,000 that she was planning to use to purchase property.

Bozeman was shot twice during a home invasion and armed robbery on April 29, 2007, according to court documents. Lester was 15 at the time and was tried in court as an adult.

He was sentenced to life in prison for malice murder, a concurrent term of 20 years for armed robbery, and terms of 20 years for burglary to run consecutively to the murder sentence, and five years for a firearm count to run consecutively to the burglary sentence.

In 2020, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld Lester’s conviction.ⁱ

VIDEO: Georgia Prison Guard Allegedly Ambushed And Killed By Inmate | https://youtu.be/3-4KSpeo0hI

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