ATLANTA, GA — Nathaniel Mathis got more than steamed when his sister and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Rodney Benton, failed to bring him pepperoni pizza hot pockets — he popped off in homicidal rage.
The incident occurred in July 2016. Mathis gave his EBT card to Benton and his sister to use for the purchase of his microwavable treats.
![Nathaniel Mathis mugshot [Atlanta Police Department]](http://crimefeed.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-19-at-10.20.33-AM.png)
Nathaniel Mathis mugshot [Atlanta Police Department]
Unfortunately, the store was out of the pepperoni pizza variety. Even more unfortunately, when the couple attempted to bring home a different strain of Hot Pockets, Mathis’s EBT card failed to work. Most unfortunately of all, the duo returned to Mathis empty-handed.
Upon arrival, according to the District Attorney’s office, “The defendant was home and still upset when he approached the SUV,” whereupon he whipped out a .40 caliber handgun and blasted Benton eight times, killing him. After the shooting, the shirtless Mathis ran off to a wooded area and threatened to blow his own head off. A two-hour SWAT team negotiation ended when an officer shot Mathis with a nonlethal beanbag gun.
During the standoff, Mathis passed a note to his sister that read: “I just snapped. I love her and didn’t mean for it to happen this way.”
A jury found Mathis guilty this week, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison plus 10 years. It is unclear if his correctional facility’s commissary will offer Hot Pockets.