“I want to thank you again for giving me and my family open arms to welcome us into your courtroom and making the right decision,” Payne’s mother, Tamiko Payne, told Judge Robert Peeler. “Jury, I thank you all for making the decision that you all came together on.
“And to you, Watson, you took my son,” Payne said, her voice cracking. “He ain’t never come back to me. But as you sit in that prison, thinking about (the fact that) you can’t see your loved ones anymore, I want you to weep and weep until you can’t weep anymore.”
Prosecutors said Watson and co-defendant Michael Geldrich entered the residence where Payne was staying, tied him up, and severely beat him in an attempt to steal money and drugs. After the beating, Geldrich and Watson drove an unresponsive Payne to Atrium Medical Center. Payne was later taken by care flight to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton where he died from his injuries.
Adam Patrick, the third defendant, was not present, but he was arrested because he gave Geldrich his phone to maintain contact with him during the robbery. He also agreed to loan Geldrich his truck to take Payne to another location after the robbery and leave him there.
Watson addressed the court after his verdict was announced.
“I was there trying to stop (a co-defendant) and everything, but nobody sees it that way,” Watson said. “I’m the one who wanted to call 911. It was my idea to take him to the hospital. I was trying to save the kid.
“I never thought it was going to go this far,” Watson continued. “I’m not a murderer, none of this (stuff) that I’ve been blamed for doing… . I’m a laid-back person. I’ve been a drug addict for five years. I ain’t never robbed nobody.”
On May 8, Geldrich pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and tampering with evidence. Geldich will be sentenced later. On June 23, Patrick pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to the maximum of 11 years in prison for his role.
Watson’s attorney, John Kaspar, said this case reflects a tragedy and is indicative of a societal problem.
“Drugs were involved in this case,” Kaspar said. “It doesn’t excuse the conduct. It doesn’t justify it.”
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