GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police have charged two people in the killing of a Papa John's delivery driver.
According to police, 21-year-old Jermaine Young and 14-year-old Reginald Lofton, both of Lawrenceville, are charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery for the murder of Shane Varnadore, 28. Lofton will be charged as an adult.
14yo charged as an adult in @PapaJohns employee's murder. Gwinnett police also charged a 21yo @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/jVJUR1fepJ
— Erica Byfield (@EricaByfield4NY) March 3, 2016
Varnadore was killed late Tuesday.
Investigators say Varnadore was set up. When he arrived at the apartment complex to deliver the pizza, he was robbed by the suspects. Warrants show he was then shot once.
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Gwinnett police Cpl. Deon Washington said after Varnadore was shot and killed, the suspects took the four pizzas he was carrying.
“It was a set up for him to come to that location and that is ultimately when he was shot and killed,” Washington said.
On Wednesday, leads in the case led to a search warrant at 1400 Herrington Road. The SWAT team assisted and several persons of interest were detained in the apartment, including Young and Lofton, police said.
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“It's been a lot to process over a short period of time. I’m glad they got the guys who did this and it's terrible that three people's lives have been ruined over stupid act,” Varnadore’s mother, Teresa, said.
On Facebook, Channel 2’s Erica Byfield found pictures of the two Chicago natives posing together and posing with guns.
Sources tell Channel 2 Action News that Young and Lofton moved to Gwinnett County to escape their pasts in Chicago.
Byfield spoke with Chicago authorities who say Young has 22 criminal cases tied to his name. In the past, he's faced a judge for drug charges, domestic violence, robbery and aggravated battery.
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Young is set to go before a judge Friday. Varnadore’s mother says she will be there.
“I want to face the person who could do this to my son,” Teresa Varnadore said. “His life was taken for absolutely no reason. I can’t imagine what my life is going to be like without my son.”
Varnadore's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.
Cox Media Group
