The murder trial of Billy John Geisendorff began this week in Lexington County General Sessions Court.

A jury found Geisendorff, 52, guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime on Thursday,   Geisendorff received the maximum penalty of life in prison following sentencing by Judge Garrison D. Hill.

Geisendorff was convicted in the shooting death of Bobby Lee Christofoli, 42, on April 2, 2014. Officers with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to Cheryse Drive at 8:58 pm in response to a 911 call by a witness.

Upon arrival, deputies found Christofoli’s body in the roadway. Geisendorff was identified as the shooter by two nearby residents. Geisendorff fled the scene immediately after the shooting and was hiding underneath the crawlspace of a residence on Cheryse Drive. Over one hour later,
Geisendorff was apprehended by deputies. The crawlspace was searched and officers recovered various items that Geisendorff stashed while hiding from law enforcement, including a .22 caliber revolver, a knife, a flashlight, and a case of Corona beer. The .22 caliber revolver was sent to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for analysis and positively identified as the murder weapon.

Christofoli sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, neck, left arm, and back. Agent James Green of the SLED Firearms Department testified that the bullets recovered from Christofoli during the autopsy had been fired from the .22 caliber revolver.
Witnesses testified that Geisendorff was using alcohol throughout the day and made numerous attempts to engage in an altercation with a resident of a nearby home. Testimony revealed that Geisendorff armed himself with the firearm and left his residence. Ultimately, Geisendorff shot Christofoli while both were in the roadway of Cheryse Drive.

Geisendorff has prior convictions from Georgia and Louisiana for theft, battery, and resisting arrest.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Solicitor Suzanne Mayes and Assistant Solicitor Robby McNair of the 1 I th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The case was investigated by the Major Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Division of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
Family members of Bobby Christofoli, including his wife, were present at the sentencing hearing and addressed the court.