RALEIGH, N.C. – Austin Thompson sentencing phase proceedings are now underway after the teen formally pleaded guilty in the deadly October 13, 2022 mass shooting that rocked Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood. With the plea entered just days before trial, the case has moved directly into sentencing, where a judge will decide how long Thompson will spend behind bars for the deaths of five people.
What was once set to go to trial on February 2 has now become a high-stakes sentencing hearing expected to last up to two weeks.
Austin Thompson Sentencing Phase Moves Forward Without a Trial
Court records show Thompson’s defense team filed notice on January 21, 2026, confirming he would plead guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and several assault charges.
In the filing, Thompson said he chose to plead guilty to avoid putting victims’ families and the community through a public trial. He stated that he hopes the evidence presented during sentencing will provide “peace and as much closure as possible.”
Due to winter weather concerns that could interfere with witnesses traveling to court, the hearing was rescheduled and started Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Five Lives Lost in the Hedingham Rampage
The shooting unfolded on the evening of October 13, 2022, when Thompson — just 15 years old at the time — launched a violent attack that stretched across multiple streets and onto the Neuse River Greenway.
The victims were:
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Nicole Connors, 52
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Susan Karnatz, 49
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Mary Marshall, 35
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Gabriel Torres, 29
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James Thompson, 16
Prosecutors say the violence began inside Thompson’s home where he fatally shot and stabbed his younger brother, James Thompson.
(brother here)
From there, authorities say he moved through the Hedingham neighborhood armed with a shotgun and handgun, killing neighbors and an off-duty Raleigh police officer, Gabriel Torres.
Why the Death Penalty Is Off the Table
Because Thompson was a juvenile at the time of the killings, he cannot face the death penalty under both North Carolina and federal law.
During sentencing, Judge Paul Ridgeway will decide whether Thompson receives life in prison without parole, or a sentence that allows parole eligibility after at least 25 years.
