CHATTANOOGA — Nicholas Antonio Cheaton, a 42-year-old Chattanooga resident, received a sentence of life in prison without parole, plus an additional 45 years. The sentence was imposed following his conviction for the murder of 39-year-old William Jones of Chickamauga, Georgia.
Jones's mother discovered his body inside his home on March 14, 2025, after he died from a gunshot wound to the head. Superior Court Judge Don W. Thompson presided over a three-day bench trial where he found Cheaton guilty on June 3, 2026. Charges included malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree arson, concealing the death of another, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence presented during the trial included text messages from Jones's cell phone, which indicated Cheaton was the last person to communicate with Jones before his death. Cell tower records placed Cheaton at Jones's residence multiple times during the early morning hours of March 14, 2025. GPS tracking data from a rental vehicle driven by Cheaton confirmed his presence at the victim's home, the Tennessee River bank, and a local pawnshop. Additionally, DNA recovered from a cigarette at the crime scene matched Cheaton's DNA profile.
After the murder investigation began, Cheaton traveled to Daytona Beach, Florida, for several days. Law enforcement apprehended him on March 21. Cheaton will serve his sentence in the Georgia Department of Corrections.