GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A deadlocked jury failed to return a verdict Friday in the death of Tori Lang, leading to another mistrial. This was prosecutors' second time taking her accused killer, Austin Ford, to court.
The retrial has played out all this week in Gwinnett County culminating Friday afternoon with the jury unable to come to a unanimous verdict. Eight jurors found Ford guilty, four believed he is not.
Ford was accused of felony murder, aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter and two counts of possession of a firearm - the most serious charges that deadlocked the jury in his last trial.
Earlier this year, Ford was found guilty of the charge of tampering with evidence, having been accused of leaving her body in a Gwinnett County park. He was also found guilty of two theft by-taking charges.
However, the jury could not come to a unanimous verdict on either the murder charge or additional charges of aggravated assault and voluntary manslaughter which also led to a mistrial.
This time, prosecutors urged the judge to order the jury to deliberate until there's a consensus.
"I think the appropriate thing to do at this time is to tell them to continue deliberation until they reach a verdict," Norris Lewis with the prosecution said.
The defense maintains Lang and shot and killed herself in an attempted suicide. The prosecution tried to prove Ford pulled the trigger.
Ultimately, the judge granted a mistrial giving prosecutors the choice to take Ford to court for a third time.
"They have to make a simple decision about who they believe was holding the gun when the gun went off because that's the only thing in debate," Lawrence Lewis with the defense said. "I'm available starting Monday for trial number three."
Prosecutors said they will discuss Wednesday if they will proceed with a third trial.
Retrial of Austin Ford
The retrial began earlier this week. On Tuesday, Lang's mother Teresa Lang testified that she found Ford's behavior suspicious, as she previously stated in April's trial.
"He was just confusing me. He was acting weird and saying crazy things like 'someone is going to look for him' because they hurt Tori. I just left it alone," Teresa.
On July 28, 2021, authorities found Lang shot and killed under a tree at Yellow River Park around 6:30 a.m.
Gwinnett County Police Department officers were originally investigating a call about a medical situation.
Her car was found a week later burned and hidden in a wooded area of Hidden Acres Nature Preserve in DeKalb County. The beat-up 2012 Nissan Versa was about five miles from where Lang's body was found. The area is closer to the family's home in Lithonia, not far from Stephenson Middle School.
Lang's friends did not know why she would be in the Gwinnett County park.
Ford, who police believed was her friend, was arrested and charged in the teen's murder.
In the April trial (the verdict was delivered May 1), Ford's defense put forth the argument that Ford was innocent because Lang died by suicide. They again asserted this week that "the science cannot tell us whether if it's suicide or homicide."
Lang's mother testified to dispute that.
Body camera video and photos that showed the moments the teen's body was found were also shown to the jury. this week. While the graphic videos and photos were shown in court of Lang's lifeless body, all eyes were on Ford in court. Unlike in his first trial, this time Ford appeared to show emotion.
The teen's grandmother used the courtroom opportunity to speak about the heartbreak the teen's death has left her.
"She really was a smart girl. She was witty, she was funny and the most amazing thing about her - she was so compassionate. It brings me to that dark place. She's just not here anymore," said her grandmother, Tanya.
Before the trial, 11Alive spoke to Tori’s family, as they honored her with a balloon release.
“She was the life of the party, she smile everywhere she go. She radiate abundance,” Tori’s dad, Torrey Lang said.
“She just liked to keep everybody’s spirits up and always motivating people. People are always coming to us about how Tori motivated them to do this or that," Tori’s mom, Teresa Lang added.