Quadruple amputee Dayton Webber overcame the medical odds to play professional cornhole. Now, he is in police custody and set to face murder charges.
Webber, 27, is accused of shooting a passenger during an argument inside his car on March 22 in La Plata, Maryland. He was arrested in Virginia and faces multiple charges upon extradition—including first-degree and second-degree murder.
A former competitor in the American Cornhole League, Webber overcame a bacterial infection as a child to become a professional athlete. His inspiring story has been featured on ESPN and Today.
Here’s what else we know about Webber, his athletic achievements, and the details of his case.
What Is Dayton Webber Charged With?
According to Fox 5 in Washington, D.C., documents show Webber is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and the use of a firearm in a felony.
Per a news release from the Charles Country Sheriff’s Office, two witnesses alerted officers from the La Plata Police Department in Maryland on March 22 around 10:25 p.m. According to a preliminary investigation, the witnesses claimed they were in the backseat of a car when Webber, the driver, shot and killed front-seat passenger Bradrick Michael Wells, 27, and asked them to help dispose of the body. They refused and got out of the car before Webber fled the scene.
Nearly two hours later, police found Wells’s body in a yard in Charlotte Hill, Maryland, and pronounced him dead at the scene. Meanwhile, authorities located Webber’s car in Charlottesville, Virginia—more than 100 miles away—and he was arrested and charged as a fugitive from justice after seeking medical treatment at a nearby hospital.
How Did Dayton Webber Become a Quadruple Amputee?
Webber is the subject of an ESPN video feature from 2023, which offers details about his childhood and medical history.
Born in June 1998 in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, Webber is one of three kids—all sons—of Natalie and Mike Webber.
According to his father, Dayton became sick as a young boy and was hospitalized. His family discovered he had a bacterial infection, which led to sepsis, and was in “grave danger.” Doctors even suggested Dayton receive his baptism and last rites, Natalie revealed.
Despite the grim outlook, doctors amputated all of Dayton’s extremities and stopped the infection from spreading, and he was able to return home and live a relatively normal life. According to reporter Ryan McGee, he drove dirtbikes and competed in wrestling and football.
What Is the American Cornhole League That Dayton Webber Competed In?
Even with his apparent affinity for other sports, Webber gravitated most toward cornhole—the popular recreational game in which players throw beanbags through the small opening of an inclined target board. He said he started playing with family and friends around age 8.
“I was able to compensate the grip on the bag by just grabbing the corner of it and me propelling myself forward and the whip of the bag is how I get it there,” Webber told ESPN of the technique required given his amputations.
In 2020, Webber became Maryland state champion. A year later, he received his first offer to compete in the American Cornhole League (ACL), which is the official governing body for professional, competitive, and recreational cornhole. For roughly the last decade, the organization has had a media rights deal with ESPN—with an average of 40 to 50 hours worth of tournaments broadcast yearly on the station’s family of networks.
The ACL released a statement after news of Webber’s arrest, saying on its Facebook page it would not comment on “an active legal situation.” The league spearately confirmed to NPR that Webber hasn’t been an active competitor since sometime in late 2024.
What’s Next in Dayton Webber’s Case?
According to CBS 19, Webber has court hearings scheduled for Friday, March 27, and Thursday, April 23.
As of Tuesday, March 24, Webber is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail in Virginia pending an extradition hearing. The latter is not scheduled yet, per court records.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
