Three teenagers are charged with murder after police say their plot to set up a house as part of an “ongoing lovers’ feud” in Griffin, Georgia, turned into gunfire.
Officers responded to a “man in the road” call last week to find a man had been shot and killed, the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday. The victim was identified as Johnathan Gilbert.
The three teenagers: Sydney Maughon, 18; Jeremy Munson, 19; and McKenzie Davenport, 19, allegedly vandalized Gilbert’s home when he came out to confront them, according to Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix.
“The suspects ran back to the car, and as Gilbert approached, Sydney Maughon, a backseat passenger in the car, pulled out a firearm and shot him multiple times,” Dix said. “The suspects drove off leaving Gilbert dead in the middle of Dobbins Mill Road.”
Dix didn’t offer details about a motive, only that it appeared there was a “lovers’ fight going on.”
Detectives traced a cell phone number of one of the three suspects to a neighboring county, where a local police department located a car that authorities believe was used in the incident. A gun was found in the search of the vehicle.
The three teenagers are charged with intentional homicide, assault and criminal trespass. Maughon and Munson are also charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Although police said Maughon was believed to have pulled the trigger, Dix alleged that all three suspects are guilty of murder because they went to his home with the intent to commit a crime.
“They went to egg a house, the victim confronted them while they were doing it, he lost his life and they drove off and left his body in the middle of the road,” Dix said. “Together they bought this ticket; now together they can take this trip.”
Court records were not available for the teenagers Sunday and it is unclear if they have retained attorneys. County inmate records show Maughon, Munson and Davenport are in pretrial custody.
