Chattanooga Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Murder of Chickamauga Resident

WALKER COUNTY, Ga. — A Chattanooga man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 45 years, for the murder of a Chickamauga resident whose body was found inside a partially burned home last year.

Superior Court Judge Don W. Thompson found 42-year-old Nicholas Antonio Cheaton guilty on June 3 following a three-day bench trial in Walker County.

Cheaton was convicted of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Arson in the First Degree, Concealing the Death of Another, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

The case stemmed from the March 14, 2025, death of 39-year-old William Jones of Chickamauga.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jones’ mother arrived at her son’s residence that morning to take him to an appointment and discovered his burned body inside the home. Investigators found that portions of the residence had been set on fire and several items, including Jones’ cellphone, were missing.

Authorities later determined Jones died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators traced Jones’ final communications to Cheaton, who had been invited to the residence on the night of the killing. Cell tower data obtained during the investigation showed Cheaton traveled to Jones’ home multiple times during the early morning hours of March 14.

Prosecutors said Cheaton first traveled to the residence, shot Jones and stole his cellphone. Investigators testified that after the killing, Cheaton attempted to transfer thousands of dollars to himself using Jones’ Cash App account.

Authorities said Cheaton then returned to the Chattanooga area, turned off the cellphone and attempted to dispose of it near the Tennessee River. The phone was later discovered on a riverbank by a family fishing near Booker T. Washington State Park, who contacted Jones’ family after finding it.

Evidence presented at trial showed Cheaton later returned to the residence a second time, stealing firearms, tools and electronic equipment before setting fire to Jones’ body and attempting to burn the residence.

Investigators also presented Apple iCloud records that allegedly showed Cheaton messaging potential buyers for the stolen firearms shortly after leaving the scene.

Later that same day, Cheaton enlisted a woman to accompany him to a local pawnshop, where stolen property belonging to Jones was pawned, according to prosecutors.

When Cheaton was arrested on March 21, 2025, investigators learned he had been driving a rental vehicle equipped with a GPS tracking device. Data from the vehicle corroborated his movements to Jones’ residence, the location where the cellphone was discarded and the pawnshop where stolen items were sold.

Authorities also recovered DNA evidence from a cigarette left at the crime scene. Testing matched the DNA to Cheaton.

Following the murder, investigators said Cheaton traveled to Daytona Beach, Florida, before his arrest.

The case was investigated by the Walker County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the Walker County District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Thompson sentenced Cheaton immediately following the verdict to life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 45 years in prison.