On Halloween night in 2017, a dispute over a small amount of money in a west Macon, Georgia house known for drug activity escalated into a fatal encounter for Stewart Leslie Gordon Jr., a 38-year-old White/Caucasian male. The evening took a tragic turn at a residence on Burton Avenue, just a few blocks from Mercer University Drive, a place described by authorities as a narcotics den where methamphetamine and heroin were sold and used.
An argument erupted when $14 went missing during a drug transaction involving Gordon. Accounts from those present, many of whom were reportedly intoxicated, suggest that the individuals selling the drugs blamed Gordon for the missing money. The verbal altercation quickly became physical, with one man punching Gordon and knocking him off the front porch. In the ensuing chaos, another individual present at the house, 21-year-old Jace Tyler Jenkins, became involved.
As the confrontation intensified, Gordon reportedly pulled out a utility knife. In response, Jenkins retrieved a bolt-action. 22 rifle and shot Gordon once in the chest. Despite the violent act, it was Jenkins himself who called 911 to seek help for Gordon. Emergency services transported Gordon to the Medical Center, Navicent Health, where he was pronounced dead. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office quickly identified Jenkins as the suspect. He was taken into custody from his home, which was located about a block from the scene of the shooting, and was subsequently questioned by investigators.
Initially charged with murder, Jace Tyler Jenkins later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The plea was influenced by several factors in the case, including the fact that Gordon had drawn a utility knife and the unreliability of the intoxicated witnesses. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Jenkins had no prior criminal record. Prosecutors had requested a 15-year prison sentence, while Jenkins' defense attorney argued for a five-year term. Ultimately, the judge sentenced Jenkins to 12 years in prison, to be followed by eight years of probation. The victim's mother, Susan Gordon, spoke at the hearing, expressing her forgiveness for her son's killer while lamenting the destructive role of addiction in both of their lives.
