Three teenagers from Georgia are now facing serious charges of felony murder after a 22-year-old man died during an egging prank gone horribly wrong.
The alleged culprits, identified as McKenzie Davenport, 19, Jeremy Munson, 18, and Sydney Maughon, 18, by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, are facing a slew of charges including battery, criminal trespass, and malice murder in connection with the death of Johnathan Gilbert, also known as Tyler Lane.
Furthermore, Sydney Maughon, the one suspected of pulling the trigger that resulted in Gilbert’s demise, is facing additional charges of firearm possession, murder, and aggravated assault. The battery charge leveled against Maughon is also regarded as an act of “family violence.”
Jeremy Munson is equally confronting an array of charges such as murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, in addition to the initial allegations.
Following the account of an eyewitness, Sheriff Darrell Dix, in a press release on Friday, stated that investigators had managed to establish a direct link between the accused and the victim. Their leads pointed to a residence in Henry County where they found the car involved on the fateful night. Upon securing a search warrant for both the house and the vehicle, the alleged firearm used in the crime was discovered.
Law enforcement believes that the root cause of the incident lies in an ongoing dispute labeled as a “lover’s quarrel” between the victim and the suspects. The trio, as per the allegations, intended to vandalize Gilbert’s home by egging it. When Gilbert confronted the pranksters, they attempted to escape in their car.
Gilbert, who was unarmed, approached the car at which point Sydney Maughon, seated in the rear seat, is accused of firing multiple shots at him, leading to his death. The vehicle promptly left the scene, leaving Gilbert’s body on Dobbins Mill Road.
In light of the collective planning and execution of the prank, Sheriff Dix stressed that all three suspects bear responsibility for the crime.