Popular Georgia Radio Personality Ambushed Outside Radio Station

Stephon Edgerton was a popular radio personality in Valdosta, Georgia. The 40-year-old worked at WGOV-FM under the alias DJ Juan Gatti.

He had served in the US National Guard, and aside from being a talented musician, Stephon was a devoted family man. He had been married for 14 years to Hilda and had three children, Mia (13), Christian (7), and Winston (5).

Stephon worked the late night shift on January 20, 2012. He went in at 6 PM and was the last at the radio station, locking up at 11:45 PM.

Just minutes later, a 911 dispatcher received a call from Stephon as he lay bleeding next to his car. He had been shot three times, once in the head and twice in the torso. Nevertheless, he was able to call for help and describe his attacker as a white male wearing a mask. According to Captain Stryde Jones of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office,

“Although there was lighting at the radio station, the surrounding area was very dark, a perfect place for somebody to conceal themselves.

Most likely, they came in from behind the building and was just waiting in that open area.”

Sadly, Stephon’s injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead an hour later.

Police dogs tracked a scent to the woodline 300 yards from the radio station. Authorities also found tire tracks in the area and a second scene with cigarette butts, a drink, and a ski cap. Furthermore, a truck driver says they saw a vehicle leaving the wooded area around the time Stephon was attacked.

Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk’s most recent theory is based on an anonymous tip he received. Stephon used the term “white boy” to describe his attacker and Sheriff Paulk now thinks he was referring to someone he knew,

“Some assumptions were immediately made, which would be reasonable assumptions, it would be a Caucasian person. Further investigation back when they were doing it, there was a fellow that he was familiar with who was African American and that was his street name.”

White Boy was a light-skinned African-American drug dealer. The theory is that this man’s girlfriend was involved with Stephon. Although a suspect, nothing was ever established as he was killed a couple of years after Stephon.

Hilda disagrees with the Sheriff’s theory,

“Being that I know he had a background in the military, being that I know how smart he was. He solidly meant exactly what he said- that was not a nickname. He did not know that person because if he did, he would have said something for us to know it. Stephon would not have left that open like that.”

The recording of the 911 call was released in 2021. Up until then, few people had been allowed to hear it. Reverend Floyd Rose of Serenity Church was one of them. He described Stephon as a “real good person” and would listen to him play the piano every Sunday as he welcomed the congregation. He spoke to Hilda after listening to the recording,

“One of the main things Rev. Rose said that struck him was that Stephon kept saying, ‘He ruined me! He destroyed me.’”

Stephon’s booth at the radio station has been named in his honor. 11 years later, his family is still waiting for justice. Hilda remembers him as a talented man with witty humor,

“He could touch any instrument and play it. He had a voice that would mesmerize anybody. All three of the children can sing too. I sing, too, and he said he’d never marry anybody who couldn’t sing!”