In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Columbus, Georgia, the life of 30-year-old Phillip Whitaker was tragically cut short. On March 24, 2019, Whitaker was found shot to death in the passenger seat of a pickup truck on Wynnton Road. Investigators believe the male victim was killed during a botched armed robbery at an apartment complex on University Place.
The ensuing investigation quickly identified two suspects: 18-year-old Jaylen Benton of Ellerslie, Georgia, and 21-year-old Sharae
Threadgill of Stone Mountain, Georgia. However, by the time they were identified, Benton and Threadgill had already fled the state, embarking on a multi-state crime spree that would end in a dramatic chase and their eventual capture.
Less than 48 hours after Whitaker's death, the pair were allegedly involved in an armed robbery at a McDonald's in Brandon, Mississippi. Their crime spree continued across Alabama and Mississippi, including robberies at other fast-food restaurants. The two were ultimately apprehended in Mississippi after a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, they carjacked a vehicle with two women inside, one of whom was forced to drive as shots were fired at the pursuing deputies. The harrowing chase ended when the stolen vehicle ran out of gas, leading to the arrest of both Benton and Threadgill.
Following their capture, both faced legal consequences for their actions in Mississippi. Jalen Benton was sentenced to nearly 30 years in federal prison for charges related to carjacking and two business robberies. Sharae Threadgill also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the business robberies and firearms charges. While Benton and Threadgill were wanted on murder charges in Georgia for the death of Phillip Whitaker, information regarding the final disposition of those specific charges in Muscogee County was not readily available in the initial reports.
