The man accused of fatally stabbing 18-year-old J.T. Schroeder after an alleged encounter at a Georgia Walmart was already on probation at the time of the incident.
According to court records, Delano Middleton faces a murder charge in connection with the October 23 killing. It remains unclear whether he has entered a plea.
Police say the altercation began when Schroeder reportedly kicked Middleton’s shopping cart as Middleton was leaving the store. Schroeder sustained multiple stab wounds and lacerations and died four days later, according to the Chatham County Police Department.
Court documents show Middleton had pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in 2023 and was serving probation at the time of the Walmart stabbing. That earlier case originated from a 2021 indictment accusing him of stabbing a woman.
A sentencing document states Middleton received two years in prison followed by eight years of probation. Prosecutors have since filed a petition to revoke that probation. Because he received credit for time served after his 2021 arrest, he was released from prison at that time.
WTOC spoke with Erica Young, who identified herself as the victim in the 2021 assault and said she had been stabbed four times. “I asked him if he needed help finding his vehicle, and he shoved a cart over on top of me and just started stabbing me,” Young told the outlet.
Schroeder’s father, also named J.T., told WJCL that the claim his son kicked a shopping cart does not reflect the full story. “My son was never, ever confrontational unless he was confronted first,” he said.
WTOC also reported that the younger Schroeder was an organ donor. “Although losing J.T. was devastating, let this bring light to becoming an organ donor,” Dr. James Dunne told the outlet. “If there’s one message I want to communicate to the community, it’s to please consider that. We don’t often get a chance to save someone’s life — but this is one way we can save multiple lives.”
