Third defendant convicted of felony murder in Athens fatal shooting

Marian Accardi, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·1 min read

Apr. 16—ATHENS — A Limestone County jury today found Terry Dale Amerson, 26, of Athens, guilty of felony murder in the 2017 fatal shooting of Brenton Gatlin, according to court records. Amerson is the third defendant to stand trial and be convicted of murder in the case.

Sentencing was set for June 2 by Circuit Judge Chad Wise, who presided over all three trials.

District Attorney Brian Jones said Amerson was remanded to the Limestone County Jail pending sentencing.

"This was a big day for the Gatlin family," Jones said in a statement. "I hope that the burden that this family has carried on its back since July of 2017 can be lifted and the family can take comfort in the fact that justice has been served."

Kandes Elizabeth Lambert, 30, of Athens, was convicted of felony murder in the case last month. Another defendant, Marty Gene Stafford II, 32, of Athens, was convicted of felony murder in January 2020 and sentenced in August to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Stafford is now at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Jefferson County. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld his murder conviction.

— marian.accardi@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. Twitter @DD_MAccardi.