In December 2013, a deeply unsettling sequence of events unfolded, leading to the tragic death of Dione Payne, a 16-year-old African-American male from Dayton, Ohio. The narrative of his final days is a harrowing account of a robbery plan that spiraled into a brutal and fatal beating.
The initial scheme, conceived by Michael Geldrich, 36, and Adam Patrick, 30, was to rob Payne of drugs and money. Geldrich had planned to place a pillowcase over Payne's head and restrain him with duct tape. Patrick assisted by lending Geldrich his truck to transport Payne to another location after the robbery and providing a phone to maintain contact during the crime.
The robbery took a violent turn inside Geldrich's residence on Vernon Street in Franklin. While Payne was sleeping on a couch, he was struck with a table leg. The assault continued as Payne was severely beaten. Michael Watson, 39, was also present during the attack.
Following the brutal assault, an unresponsive Payne was driven in Patrick's truck to Atrium Medical Center. Surveillance video from the hospital later proved crucial in identifying the vehicle. Payne was subsequently transferred to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, where he succumbed to his injuries. His mother, Tamiko Payne, later recounted the devastating experience of identifying her son, whose injuries were so severe that he looked like he had been in a "boxing match." She had to identify him by the tattoos on his arms, a recent birthday present.
The investigation led to the arrests of Michael Geldrich, Adam Patrick, and Michael Watson. In the legal proceedings that followed, Patrick pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. For his role in the robbery, which included the loan of his truck and phone, he received approximately $40 of the money stolen from Payne.
Michael Geldrich pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. As part of a plea deal, which included testifying against his co-defendants, he was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison.
Michael Watson was found not guilty of aggravated murder and rape but was convicted on charges of murder, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison. During his sentencing, Watson expressed remorse, stating that he had wanted to call 911 and that it was his idea to take Payne to the hospital in an attempt to save him.
