A 78-year-old Georgia man faces murder charges in the shooting death of his 68-year-old best friend of 30 years, allegedly over a $30 debt. The incident occurred outside a gas station in Jonesboro on October 30, 2023, and the trial is ongoing. Prosecutors argue it was intentional, while the defense claims it was an accident during a struggle over a gun.
Joe Link, 78, appeared in a Clayton County courtroom on February 25 for his trial on charges of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault. The case centers on the death of Coybern Jones Jr., 68, whom Link had known as a best friend for three decades.
According to testimony, the two men met at an Exxon gas station in Jonesboro, Georgia, so Jones could repay a $30 loan from Link and return a borrowed gun. An argument ensued inside the station about the money, which moved outside to a road near a cemetery. Jones was found dead that evening from a gunshot wound to the neck, lying in the road adjacent to the cemetery.
Police recovered the murder weapon, described as a .22 revolver known as a Saturday night special, 36 feet from the body. A detective at the scene noted that the gun was positioned in front of a grave marker.
Assistant District Attorney Brianna Jordan stated that evidence would demonstrate the shooting was not an accident. In contrast, Link's defense attorney, Erin King, described a tussle over the gun that caused it to discharge accidentally, striking Jones. King added that Link was in shock after the incident and walked away, leaving his friend bleeding on the ground.
A firearms examiner from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation testified that the gun, manufactured before 1968, could fire without force applied to the trigger. Link has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the trial continues.