Athens teen receives 40-year sentence for attempted murder conviction

By Joe Johnson

A 16-year-old Athens boy has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges related to a knife attack last year on a family who was entertaining him as an overnight houseguest.

The incident occurred early the morning of January 27th, 2024 when Nehemiah Wright was caught sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Court and police records indicate that Wright stabbed the girl, her mother, father, and 12-year-old brother before the family was able to subdue him.

The brother had considered Wright to be his best friend and the family had him as an overnight guest on previous occasions,

A Clarke County grand jury would later charge Wright as an adult with multiple counts of attempted murder, assault and related crimes in a 12-count indictment,

On January 20th he entered into a negotiated agreement with the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Wright pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, sexual battery on a child, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of false imprisonment, battery, and two counts of aggravated battery.

Prosecutors dismissed a charge of child molestation and a count of aggravated assault.

In accordance with the plea deal, a judge sentenced Wright to 20 years in prison and 20 years on probation.