In the quiet suburbs of Marietta, Georgia, a young man named Jake Allen Horne, a 21-year-old male, was working to build a future for himself and his younger sister. Having recently lost both of his parents, he had stepped into the role of provider and guardian, a responsibility he shouldered with a kind and caring spirit. He was known for his happy and joking nature, always smiling despite the recent tragedies he had endured.
As an apprentice electrician, he was learning a trade and making his way in the world.
On the afternoon of March 6, 2019, Horne and his boss, 37-year-old Gordon Montcalm, were finishing their electrical work at the upscale East Cobb home of 68-year-old Larry Joel Epstein. As they were preparing to leave for the day, a dispute arose between them and the homeowner. The disagreement escalated with shocking suddenness when Epstein emerged from his home with a handgun. A doorbell camera captured the chilling moments that followed. Epstein approached the two contractors and, without warning, opened fire.
Montcalm was struck multiple times in the face, neck, and arm but managed to escape to a neighbor's house for help. Horne was found with a single, devastating gunshot wound to his head. Both men were rushed to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, where Horne was placed on life support. Tragically, his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead the following day, March 7, 2019. Even in death, his giving nature shone through as his organs were donated, saving several lives.
Larry Joel Epstein was taken into custody at the scene following a brief standoff with SWAT units. He was initially charged with aggravated assault and battery, but these charges were upgraded to murder following Horne's death. During a probable cause hearing, a detective testified that Epstein had accused the electricians of killing his pet ducks, though there was no evidence to support this claim. In May 2019, a grand jury indicted Epstein on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
In March 2021, rather than face a trial, Larry Joel Epstein, then 70, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murder of Jake Horne and the aggravated assault of Gordon Montcalm. He was sentenced to life in prison. The tragic and senseless act of violence cut short a young life full of promise, leaving a grieving family and a community to grapple with the loss of a kind-hearted young man who had already overcome so much.
