INDIANAPOLIS — A jury has convicted the man who shot and killed George Nelson Sr., owner of one of Indy's most beloved soul food restaurants, Pa and Ma's Backyard BBQ.
Justin Jones was found guilty of Murder and a Felony Firearm Sentencing Enhancement after a four-day trial, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced.
On Aug. 21, 2024, IMPD officers were called to the 2600 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and found Nelson suffering from gunshot wounds. His wife Monica, and their son witnessed the shooting.
Jones had been hired to install exterior siding on the restaurant, half payment up front and the rest due upon completion. That night, Jones demanded the remaining payment despite the job being unfinished. An argument followed. Jones pulled out a gun, shot Nelson and fled.
Hours later, officers responded to a shots fired call and found Jones inside a vehicle witnesses saw him enter after the shooting. A firearm was recovered from the vehicle.
Nelson built Pa and Ma's from the ground up, starting in 1995 with just $175 and a vision. The restaurant became a staple on Indianapolis' northwest side, known as much for its community as its food.
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Just weeks after Nelson's death, Pa and Ma's was featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri, an episode filmed before his passing.
The day after his death, his family opened the restaurant anyway, a tribute to the man he was.
"To George, it was never just about the food — it was about the people," Mears said. "His legacy will not be defined by his death, but by how he lived."
