OCONEE COUNTY, Ga. — A man accused of killing his mother and stepfather in their home in front of two children pleaded guilty Thursday morning in their shooting deaths, according to investigators.
The Oconee County Sheriff's Office posted about the update surrounding the December 2021 case.
According to the office, Peyton Moyer shot and killed his mother, Ashley Schutza, and his stepfather, Benjamin Smith, on Dec. 28, 2021, in Watkinsville. Deputies were called to investigate the shooting on Boldercrest Circle, where they found the two adults with gunshot wounds. Two children were in the home at the time of the shooting, deputies said, but they were not hurt.
Moyer took one of the victims' vehicles after the shooting and tried to run away. He was arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police after a pursuit.
He pled guilty to two counts of malice murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and cruelty to children. Authorities did not provide Moyer's age.
"While this verdict cannot undo the damage done in this tragic incident, we are pleased with the guilty plea as it will hopefully save the family the additional trauma of a prolonged trial," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
