Walton County man who murdered mother pleads guilty but mentally ill

Stark’s plea came just before his trial was set to begin, and included charges of aggravated assault and firearm possession for shooting at Walton County deputies who responded to the scene.

In January 2022, Shane Stark called 911 to report that he had killed his mother with a shotgun. Deputies from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, including the SERT team, responded to the scene.

As deputies entered the home, Stark fired multiple shots in their direction before eventually surrendering, according to the Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Following his arrest, Stark’s defense requested a court-ordered mental evaluation to assess his competency to stand trial and his criminal responsibility. A private evaluation was also obtained.

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Initially, Stark filed a notice of intent to raise the issue of insanity and a special plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, but he withdrew this contention as part of his guilty plea.

The guilty but mentally ill plea means Stark will be evaluated for mental health issues by the Georgia Department of Corrections, which may affect his placement in a penal facility.

If Stark had pursued an insanity defense and been found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could have been detained in a state mental health facility for evaluation.

“Cases involving mental health are difficult both factually and legally. I commend the hard work of the prosecution team that led to this outcome of the Defendant accepting responsibility for the murder of his own mother. The Defendant has received a sentence of life in prison for his actions, providing some level of closure to the family,” District Attorney Randy McGinley said.

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