Man Gets Life Sentence for Fatal Shooting of Dog Walker in Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Lawrenceville man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison in connection with a 2021 fatal shooting near a dog park, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office.

A jury found 75-year-old Stanley Nathaniel Elliott guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the death of 44-year-old Anthony Collins.

Prosecutors said Collins was walking his Jack Russell puppies near a popular dog park on Riverside Parkway in February 2021 when he encountered Elliott. After a brief altercation, Elliott shot Collins.

Investigators later recovered the firearm used in the shooting hidden inside a boat in Elliott’s garage.

During the trial, jurors heard testimony that the two men had a prior encounter. Witnesses said that in December 2020, Elliott attempted to strike Collins’ puppies with a metal rod he used to ward off stray dogs.

Surveillance video presented in court also showed a man resembling Elliott raising his arm and firing a weapon following a short interaction with a man walking dogs.

“Violence, and especially deadly violence, is not the answer for solving any dispute,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said.

Following the conviction, Elliott was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional five years.

Officials said the case reflects the district attorney’s office’s ongoing efforts to hold violent offenders accountable and seek justice for victims.