WALKER COUNTY, Ga. — A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of killing a north Georgia man.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
A judge sentenced Nicholas Antonio Cheaton, 42, of Chattanooga, Tenn., to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 45 years, following a three-day bench trial in Walker County Superior Court.
Cheaton was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree arson, concealing the death of another person and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the death of William Jones,39, of Chickamauga.
According to the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, Jones’ mother discovered her son’s burned body inside his home on March 14, 2025, after arriving to take him to an appointment. Investigators later determined Jones had been shot in the head before portions of the home were set on fire.
Authorities said text messages recovered from Jones’ cellphone showed Cheaton was the last person to communicate with Jones before the killing. Investigators learned Jones had invited Cheaton to his home the night he was murdered.
Evidence presented during trial showed Cheaton traveled to Jones’ home multiple times during the early morning hours of March 14. Prosecutors said Cheaton shot Jones during his first visit, stole his cellphone and attempted to transfer thousands of dollars from Jones’ Cash App account.
TRENDING STORIES:
- WATCH: Police deploy grappler during traffic stop on busy Sandy Springs road
- New Costco coming to metro Atlanta
- Chrisleys sue former lawyer for $25 million
Investigators said Cheaton later traveled back toward Chattanooga and tried to dispose of the victim’s phone near the Tennessee River. However, the phone landed on a riverbank near Booker T. Washington State Park, where it was found later that day by a family fishing in the area. The family contacted Jones’ relatives after discovering the phone.
Prosecutors said Cheaton then returned to Jones’ home a second time, stealing guns, electronic equipment and tools before setting fire to Jones’ body and attempting to burn the home.
Digital evidence played a major role in the case.
According to authorities, Cheaton’s Apple iCloud records showed he began messaging potential buyers in an effort to sell the stolen guns shortly after leaving the victim’s home. Investigators also uncovered evidence that Cheaton enlisted a woman to help pawn some of the stolen property at a local pawnshop later that same day.
When Cheaton was arrested on March 21, investigators discovered he had been driving a rental vehicle equipped with GPS tracking technology. Prosecutors said the GPS data confirmed his presence at Jones’ home, the location where the cellphone was discarded and the pawnshop where stolen items were sold.
DNA evidence also linked Cheaton to the crime scene. Authorities said a cigarette recovered from the residence contained DNA matching Cheaton.
Following the murder, prosecutors said Cheaton traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla., for several days before his arrest.
In a statement following the sentencing, the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office said Jones was “a loving son, brother, uncle and friend to many.”
“His murder, along with the actions of Nicholas Cheaton after his murder, demonstrates that evil does exist in this world,” prosecutors said. “The conviction of Cheaton and this sentence can never bring back what Will’s family lost, but it does ensure that this defendant will never again have the chance to do harm in our society.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
