Pierce’s mother, Decembre, described her feelings as mixed Wednesday morning.

“My son was betrayed and killed by his best friend, and we still don’t know why,” she said via text, “but because of his actions, now he’s in prison forever! No one wins!”

The Locust Grove man was found with several gunshot wounds, Griffin police said at the time. He had been lying there for “several days” after his death, police added.

Following an investigation, police determined that Wilkerson was the last person to be with the victim. He was arrested and taken to the Spalding jail.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Pierce and Wilkerson, who was 17 at the time, were both believed to be affiliated with “Sex Murder Money,” a subset of the Bloods street gang, Griffin police said. Decembre said Pierce was trying to leave the gang before he was killed.

Wilkerson, of Griffin, was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, theft by taking a firearm, possession of a pistol under the age of 18, and violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act.

The case was delayed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors said.