In the early hours of October 20, 2019, a noise complaint at the Sonesta Extended Stay Suites in northern Shelby County led to a grim discovery. Deputies arrived at the hotel on Greenhill Parkway to find 17-year-old Stanley M. Turner II deceased in his vehicle in the parking lot. The male teenager had sustained an apparent gunshot wound. Investigators from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office quickly determined that Turner's death was a homicide that occurred during a robbery.
The investigation into the death of the Ramsay High School senior led to a series of arrests. Through what authorities described as countless hours of diligent work, several individuals were identified and taken into custody. Those charged with Murder and Robbery 1st Degree included 18-year-old Jakobi C. Witherspoon, 17-year-old Aja Kylandrea Brenee Whitt, and 17-year-old Jamaal Antowain Phillips. Additionally, a male juvenile was also charged with Murder and Robbery 1st Degree. Both Whitt and Phillips were charged as adults.
Further investigation led to more arrests in connection with the case. Rodriquez T. Allen, 20, and 17-year-old Jamicah J. Jordan were also charged with Murder and Robbery 1st Degree, with Jordan being charged as an adult. Bonds were set for the individuals charged, with some being released from the Shelby County Jail after posting them. Friends and family remembered Stanley Turner as a smart and well-liked person with a bright future, who had aspirations of attending the University of Alabama on an academic scholarship.
