A Fayetteville woman, Hannah Renea Payne, was recently found guilty of murder in the shooting death of Kenneth Herring, a man involved in a hit-and-run crash in Clayton County back in 2019. The verdict, which included charges of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and possession of a firearm during a felony, was delivered in a Clayton courtroom.

During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Nigel Hunter argued that Payne's actions were disproportionate to what was originally a traffic citation. Prosecutors claimed that Payne followed Herring's pickup truck after witnessing it collide with another vehicle near Clark Howell Highway and Ga. 85. Payne, who was 21 years old at the time, called 911 and pursued the truck for about a mile to the intersection of Riverdale Road and Forest Parkway.

Upon reaching the intersection, Payne used her Jeep to block Herring's vehicle. It was alleged that Herring may have been experiencing a medical episode at the time. Payne then confronted Herring with a firearm in hand and, at some point, fatally shot him. Prosecutors contended that Payne ignored the instructions given by 911 dispatchers, who advised her to remain at the scene of the hit-and-run and avoid engaging the other driver. Following the shooting, a witness recorded a video that seemed to depict Payne changing her clothes prior to the arrival of law enforcement.

In her defense, Payne's attorney, Matt Tucker, claimed that she had intended to obtain Herring's license plate number. He argued that when Payne confronted Herring, it was to inform him to return to the scene of the crash. Tucker suggested that Herring initiated a physical altercation with Payne, leading to a struggle over the firearm, which ultimately resulted in Herring shooting himself. However, prosecutors disputed this account, presenting several witnesses who testified that Payne had been the aggressor.

Payne is set to be sentenced on Friday, where the court will determine the appropriate punishment for her crimes.