Wheelchair-Bound Man Murders Caregiver Over Money Dispute

ATLANTA -- A 63-year-old wheelchair-bound man has been found guilty of killing his caregiver in a dispute over money. On Friday, a Fulton County Superior Court jury found Anthony Thompson, 63, guilty in the shooting death of Wayne Sapp, 47, back in 2015. He has been sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years.

Thompson is a wheelchair-bound paraplegic who requires full-time care. In late 2015, Thompson grew tired of Sapp, who was his live-in caregiver. Several months prior to Sapp’s murder, Thompson’s insurance company determined Sapp could no longer serve as his caretaker. While Sapp was serving as Thompson’s caregiver, the two men split the proceeds of Thompson’s biweekly paycheck. Sapp’s termination, at the hands of the insurance company, reduced their mutual income.

Sapp continued to live with Thompson inside their shared residence, while Sapp’s cousin, 47-year-old Sherrell Herring, became Thompson’s full-time caretaker. Thompson told Herring, a number of times, he endeavored to have Sapp killed by neighborhood “dope boys.”

Prosecutors said Thompson was angry over their loss of income. Thompson was also convinced Sapp was purposely unplugged appliances as a way to harass him. Herring told police she saw Thompson accidentally unplug appliances with his wheelchair.

On December 9, 2015, Thompson called Herring and told her not to come to work. Around 9 am, Thompson encountered Sapp inside their Hill Street home. Thompson was holding a silver revolver and fired a warning shot in Sapp’s direction to frighten him. Sapp left the home and Thompson followed in his wheelchair. While outside, Thompson shot Sapp in the chest.

Later that day, police arrested Thompson at the Five Points MARTA Station where he confessed.

Thompson has 15 prior arrests and nine felony convictions in DeKalb County, Arizona, California, and New Orleans that date back to 1976.