WOODSTOCK, Ga. — A Forsyth man has been sentenced to life in prison for what a prosecutor called a “merciless and deliberate” killing of his roommate at a Woodstock sober living apartment.
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The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit announced Thursday that Triston James Sexton, 27, of Forsyth, Monroe County, entered a negotiated guilty plea July 15 to malice murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony.
According to prosecutors, Woodstock police responded just after 4 a.m. on Sept. 19, 2024, to a 911 call reporting a stabbing at the Avonlea Apartments in the Towne Lake area.
The victim, David Courtney Phelps, 55, of Atlanta, was taken to a hospital, where he later died from injuries to his heart and lungs. Prosecutors said he was stabbed 20 times while lying in his bed.
When officers arrived, Sexton was outside the apartment building. A blood-stained chef’s knife was found on a nearby bench and was later identified as the murder weapon.
Prosecutors said Sexton and Phelps had been roommates for about a month through a sober living program. The three other people living in the apartment told investigators they were unaware of any prior conflicts between the men. Phelps was scheduled to leave the program later that week.
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On the night of the killing, the roommates told investigators they woke up to Phelps’ screams and entered the bedroom to find Sexton standing over him holding a knife.
Sexton told investigators that Phelps had sexually assaulted him, but prosecutors said no evidence supported the claim.
The other roommates reported that Sexton had exhibited increasingly erratic behavior in the days leading up to the killing, including staying awake late at night and not taking his prescribed medication.
Surveillance video from the apartment’s living room showed Sexton pacing repeatedly throughout the early morning hours, prosecutors said. At one point, he briefly left the apartment and returned. Minutes later, the footage showed him walking through the apartment carrying a knife.
“The evidence showed this was a merciless and deliberate attack – not an impulsive act. For David, the attack inflicted extraordinary pain, fear, and suffering. The sheer number of wounds and the circumstances of the killing made the defendant’s intent unmistakable,” Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Visockis said.
During the plea hearing, four members of Phelps’ family addressed the court, describing him as having an infectious and loving personality. They also spoke about the tremendous loss they have experienced since his death.
The defense argued that mental illness played a role in Sexton’s actions. Prosecutors countered that while Sexton had experienced mental illness at various points in his life, his conduct that day demonstrated intent and malice rather than impulsiveness.
“This should have been a week ending in celebration for David as he transitioned to his next chapter of sober living, but it was instead marked by the tragic loss of his life,” Treadaway said. “This sentence reflects the brutality of the defendant’s actions and ensures that he will not be free to inflict harm on another innocent person again.”
A judge sentenced Sexton, as negotiated, to life with the possibility of parole, followed by five years of probation. He will be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years in prison.
The judge also ordered Sexton to have no contact with Phelps’ family, complete evaluation and treatment for mental health and substance abuse, and barred him from entering Cherokee County.
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