Tifton man jailed for murder accused of killing prison guard

TIFTON, Ga. – According to our news partners with the Tifton Grapevine newsletter, a Tifton man serving a life sentence for a Tift County murder in 2007 is being charged in the killing Sunday of a prison guard at Smith State Prison in Glennville, authorities say.

Layton Kiev Lester, 32, is accused of using a “homemade weapon” to attack correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, who began his corrections career at the prison in April, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).

Clark was escorting Lester and another inmate, Marko Willingham, from the dining hall when the officer was assaulted from behind with a homemade weapon, the corrections department said in a statement. Willingham “stepped in to assist Officer Clark and was also assaulted. Both Officer Clark and (Willingham) were transported to local hospitals,” where Clark “tragically succumbed to his injuries,” the statement read.

Willingham remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Layton Lester, left, serving a life sentence for a Tift County murder in 2007, is accused of attacking and killing corrections officer Robert Clark in a Glennville prison on Sunday.

“The entire GDC team is mourning the loss of one of our own, and we collectively express our deepest condolences to Officer Clark’s family and friends,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “We will support them as they navigate this tragedy over the coming days, weeks, and months.”

Further details of the incident will be made available as soon as they are confirmed, corrections officials said.

A Tift County jury in 2009 had found Lester guilty of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death and robbery of his great-aunt Lorrine Bozeman, who had received $5,000 that she was planning to use to purchase property.

Bozeman was shot twice during a home invasion and armed robbery on April 29, 2007, according to court documents. Lester was 15 at the time and was tried in court as an adult.

He was sentenced to life in prison for malice murder, a concurrent term of 20 years for armed robbery, and terms of 20 years for burglary to run consecutively to the murder sentence, and five years for a firearm count to run consecutively to the burglary sentence.

In 2020, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld Lester’s conviction.

By: FRANK SAYLES JR., Tifton Grapevine

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