A Georgia man accused of killing his best friend is preparing to face a third trial after previous attempts to convict him ended in mistrials. Austin Ford, a 21-year-old from Lithonia, has been at the center of a closely watched case involving the 2021 death of 18-year-old Tori Lang — a case that has seen twists, mistrials, and renewed public scrutiny.
Ford is charged with the murder of Lang, who was found shot to death in Yellow River Park in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Her car was discovered burned nearby, and the circumstances around her death have remained a source of deep emotional pain for her family and intense legal battles for prosecutors and defense attorneys alike.
The Incident
In July 2021, parkgoers discovered Lang’s body near a trail in Yellow River Park. Police later confirmed that she had died from a gunshot wound. Her family identified her body a few days after she was reported missing. Not long after, investigators found Lang’s car completely burned, adding another layer of suspicion and urgency to the investigation.
Ford, who was once considered Lang’s best friend, was arrested shortly after and charged with her murder. Prosecutors argued that Ford was the last person to see Lang alive and that digital evidence, including text messages and cellphone data, placed him at the scene.
The prosecution’s case leans heavily on circumstantial evidence, as no eyewitnesses or direct physical evidence have been presented linking Ford to the act of pulling the trigger. Surveillance footage from a nearby area reportedly shows a figure resembling Ford in the vicinity, and authorities say his phone records indicate he was at the park the night Lang was killed.
Two Mistrials
Ford has already been tried twice in Gwinnett County Superior Court. Both trials ended in mistrials due to hung juries.
In the second trial, the jury reportedly leaned toward conviction with an 8-4 vote but could not reach a unanimous decision. The lack of resolution has led to ongoing frustration from Lang’s family, who say they are desperate for justice.
The defense maintains that Lang’s death may have been a suicide and disputes the claims made by prosecutors. They argue that the relationship between the two friends was complicated, but Ford did not commit the crime. The defense team has also raised concerns about the lack of physical evidence tying Ford directly to the murder weapon or the scene of the crime.
A Third Trial
Now, Ford is set to face a third trial, though the date has not been formally announced. Prosecutors remain determined to secure a conviction, saying they owe it to the victim and her family to continue pursuing justice.
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson has said that her office will not back down despite the previous outcomes. “We believe we have a strong case and will continue to fight for Tori,” she told local reporters.
Legal analysts say that the third trial presents both opportunities and risks. On one hand, the prosecution has had time to reassess their case and refine their arguments. On the other, the pattern of hung juries may suggest a level of doubt that is hard to overcome.
If convicted, Ford could face life in prison. If acquitted, the case may become another high-profile example of the limits of the justice system when evidence is unclear and juries remain unconvinced.
Broader Implications
Cases like this are not unprecedented. Legal experts point to similar examples where defendants were tried multiple times. One of the most widely cited is the case of Curtis Flowers in Mississippi, who was tried six times for the same crime. After a series of overturned convictions and mistrials, Flowers was released and the charges against him were dropped.
The repeated retrials in the Ford case have reignited debate about prosecutorial strategy and the role of jury deadlock in serious criminal cases. Critics argue that repeated retrials can place an emotional and financial burden on both defendants and victims’ families, while supporters insist that serious crimes deserve full legal resolution.
