FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A father said it was a painful experience being in the same courtroom with the two men accused of murdering his son. Police now say the victim, 18-year-old Julius Thorne, was set up.
Jatavious Barnes, 19, and Jamarcus Parker, 22, were in Fulton County courtroom 1D for a preliminary hearing. Thorne's father was also there and got his first look at the accused killers.
"Oh, it was hard. It was very hard to see them guys in there that took my son's life," Lawrence Thorne said.
Lawrence Thorne had warned his son to back away from the two so-called friends who hurt others. He said he told his son, "Because if you don't back off, guess what? Same thing's gonna happen to you."
During the hearing, a judge found probable cause to move forward on charges of murder, felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony against the Barnes and Parker.
In court, a Union City detective testified that this was not stranger-on-stranger crime. "They all knew each other. They used to work together, went to school together," Sgt. Francisco Cedeno testified.
The detective testified Barnes and Julius Thorne arrived at the Maplewood Apartments on June 30, 2018.
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A witness heard a shot and saw a man running away, and saw Barnes standing over Julius Thorne.
"The victim's wallet was found in his crotch," Assistant District Attorney Ryan Piechocinski told the court.
Barnes was later arrested after officers say he gave conflicting accounts about what happened.
Parker was also arrested later. A police officer spotted him leaving the scene, according to testimony.
Prosecutors said that leading up to the shooting, the two had been in communication about robbing someone.
But attorneys for both men say police have no solid evidence to prove Barnes and Parker were involved. "I think that what we have here is a very thin case," public defender Eric Cho said. He said there could be a third person who may be responsible for the murder.
Prosecutors say there is plenty of evidence against the pair.
Julius Thorne's father said the case isn't thin at all. "I think it's thick like peanut butter," he said.
Both Barnes and Parker are being held without bond.