MOULTRIE, Ga. — A Colquitt County man has pled guilty but mentally ill to felony murder in the 2018 death of his grandfather.

Jonathan Weaver, 30, entered the plea Oct. 27 to charges of felony murder and exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult, elder person or resident.

Weaver was charged after his grandfather, Billy Gene May, was stabbed multiple times at his residence outside Berlin in October of 2018. 

Superior Court Judge Brian McDaniel sentenced Weaver to life on the felony murder charge and 20 years on the exploitation charge, to be served consecutively, according to court documents. He was originally indicted on 11 charges that included malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, kidnapping, two counts of exploitation, possession of a knife during commission of a felony, obstruction of an officer possession of methamphetamine and possession of amphetamine, court documents say.

The remaining charges were entered in as “nolle prosequi.” This is a formal notice of abandonment by the prosecutor. 

Part of the plea agreement states that Weaver will serve his life sentence plus 10 years in confinement. The remainder of the sentence may be served on probation. 

“We are thankful for justice being served for the victim’s remaining family,” said Jamy Steinberg, special agent in charge of the GBI’s Thomasville office. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with them as they continue to grieve his loss.”

Efforts to reach McDaniel, the assistant district attorney and Weaver’s public defender about the case were unsuccessful on Friday, due in part to ongoing hearings about other cases.