Three Georgia teens, who were out to kill some boredom, have been arrested for murdering a man after egging his house.
Eighteen-year-olds Sydney Maughon and Jeremy Munson were arrested, along with 19-year-old McKenzie Davenport. All three teens were charged with malice murder, battery, and criminal trespass.
Additionally, Maughon and Munson were charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
The charges stem from an incident where Spalding County Sheriff’s deputies discovered a man who was shot to death in the middle of the road.
After a fingerprint analysis, the victim was eventually identified as Jonathan Gilbert (AKA Tyler Lane).
According to Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix, investigators managed to locate a witness who provided them with enough evidence to create a link between the victim and the suspects.
Officer Dix said, “Using that information, Investigators began their search for the suspects, located a cellphone number that was tied to one of them, and tracked it to a location in Henry County. At that point we contacted Henry County P D., and they immediately sent officers to the area. They searched until they located the vehicle at a residence, and were able to obtain a search warrant for the vehicle and the residence.”
“During the search they retrieved the car that was used in the crime, along with the gun that we believe was used to shoot Gilbert,” Dix added. “As the investigation progressed, more suspects were developed, and eventually arrested.”
Authorities say that there was a “lovers’ quarrel” involving the victim that precipitated in the egging.
“It appears there was an ongoing lovers’ quarrel, and the suspects decided to go to Gilbert’s residence on Dobbins Mill and vandalize it by egging it,” the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office explained. “When Gilbert saw what they were doing to his residence, he came out of the house unarmed, to confront them.”
After Gilbert approached the suspects, the suspects ran back to the car, and as Gilbert approached them, Sydney Maughon, a backseat passenger in the car, produced a firearm and shot him multiple times.
Even though Maughon is accused of pulling the trigger, the sheriff’s office said that all three suspects will be held accountable.
“Because they all plotted and planned together, and traveled to the location with the intent to commit a crime that led up to the murder together, they are all just as culpable as if they had each pulled the trigger themselves,” the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office added. “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. Together they bought that ticket; now together they can ride that ride.”
Since his death last week, tributes have been paid to Gilbert on social media.
One person said, “I am so heartbroken that you are gone. I don’t really even have the words to express what I’m feeling just know I love you so much!”
While another person wrote, “Tyler Lane was a truly amazing young man and he loved with his whole heart. He will forever be missed. This world will not be the same without him in it.”
A funeral has also been arranged for him to take place today at the Indian Springs State Park in Flovilla, Georgia.
Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the incident.
