BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Ethan Bell Bennett, 20, of Brunswick has been convicted in the 2019 death of a 35-year-old father of three who was shot multiple times in front of his mother’s home in the Arco area of Brunswick.
Bennett, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, was convicted of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, simple battery and gun charges following a jury trial that concluded on Thursday.
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The charges stem from the July 22, 2019, death of Antonio Randolph, a father of three.
The investigation, led by Sgt. Sheila Ramos of the Glynn County Police Department, revealed that Randolph had struggled for years with drug addiction. Randolph had become involved with a woman, and her two sons, Ethan Bennett and Everett Bennett, blamed Randolph for her addiction to drugs, according to witness statements and text messages, and they intended to do him harm.
The investigation showed that Randolph was shot four times from behind, and that Ethan Bennett confessed to a witness that he, Everett Bennett, another man named Travis Kates and another individual confronted and shot Randolph.
The trial, presided over by Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr., began on Jan. 31, 2022, in Glynn County Superior Court, and members of the jury returned their guilty verdicts on all counts on Feb. 3, 2022.
“Full credit for the conviction goes to the Glynn County Police Department for their exhaustive investigative efforts in this case. The investigation and subsequent trial were difficult due to the reluctance of many witnesses to cooperate,” said Deputy Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.
Sentencing in this case is scheduled for a later date. Ethan Bennett faces a mandatory life sentence for the murder convictions.
The trials of co-defendants Everett Bennett and Travis Kates are scheduled for Feb. 28, 2022.
Randolph’s children were ages 3, 8 and 9 when he was killed.