STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Editor's note: The video above is from a previous report.
With it being now over a year since authorities found 18-year-old Tori Lang shot to death under a tree at a metro Atlanta park, police have indicted the 20-year-old suspect on eight charges.
The new indictment, confirmed on Wednesday, charges Austin Ford with felony murder, aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, two counts of theft by taking, and tampering with evidence, according to documents from the Gwinnett Police Department.
Ford was already in jail for an unrelated incident in another jurisdiction when police finally named a suspect nearly nine months after the July 2021 murder. Now, he is indicted on charges in connection to Tori's death.
On July 28, 2021, authorities were called to Yellow River Park around 6:30 a.m. and found the teen dead from a gunshot wound. Her car was found a week later burned and hidden in a wooded area of Hidden Acres Nature Preserve in DeKalb County, about five miles from the park.
Gwinnett Police Sgt. Jennifer Richter said in April that she believed Ford was actually a friend of Tori at a point in time, which is how the two happened to know each other.
Tori, a 2020 honors graduate of Stephenson High School, was planning for college. Her father, who she is named after, previously told 11Alive she always lived for others.
“She just brought the best out of people,” her dad, Torrey Lang said last year. "She was a beautiful person, inside and out."
The police department had previously said detectives diligently and continuously worked on this case and followed up on leads. Richter said there were initially numerous people they suspected could possibly be involved. She said it took some time to zero in on the suspect.