Illinois man jailed for life over 2020 Georgetown inn attack that killed 66-year-old
Jorden Johnson, 30, of Sterling, Illinois, received life without parole for the 2020 murder of Jack Kendree at a Georgetown, SC inn. His accomplice Latisha Evans was sentenced under the Youthful Offender Act.
Illinois couple sentenced over deadly 2020 attack at Georgetown, South Carolina inn
Jorden Johnson, 30, of Sterling, Illinois, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2020 murder of 66-year-old Jack Kendree at a Georgetown, South Carolina inn, wmbfnews.com reports.
Johnson pleaded guilty — the day before his scheduled jury trial — to murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and grand larceny. The presiding judge imposed the maximum sentence on each count: life without parole for murder, 30 years for attempted murder, 30 years for armed robbery, and five years for grand larceny. All sentences run concurrently.
His co-defendant, Latisha Evans, 23, also of Sterling, Illinois, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of murder and accessory after the fact of attempted murder. She was sentenced to an indeterminate term not to exceed six years under the Youthful Offender Act, following negotiations with prosecutors and discussions with the victims' family members. Evans had no prior criminal record and was 20 years old at the time of the offence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth "Liz" Smith Martin and Deputy Solicitor Alicia Richardson of the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
How the attack unfolded
On June 28, 2020, Johnson and Evans were stranded in Georgetown after their van broke down in a Walmart parking lot. Court documents state that Kendree and a 50-year-old woman — both Georgetown residents — had encountered Johnson there and allowed him into their hotel room.
Once inside, Johnson immediately attacked both victims, striking them in the head with a large wrench he had brought with him. The wrench, recovered from Johnson and Evans' room, measured nearly 17 inches in length and weighed two and a half pounds.
Kendree suffered massive head trauma and died in the room. The woman sustained facial and skull lacerations, fractures of multiple bones in her face, jaw and skull, and a broken arm. Johnson left both victims where they lay.
Hotel staff discovered the surviving woman nearly 11 hours later after she managed to stumble from the room. She underwent extensive medical treatment and multiple surgeries, and suffered permanent injuries and disfigurement. She died six months later from unrelated medical issues.
Flight across multiple states
Surveillance footage from the Rodeway Inn captured Johnson entering the victims' room alone and leaving after the assault. He took Kendree's wallet and car keys, collected Evans from their room, and the pair drove the victim's vehicle out of South Carolina.
Johnson and Evans used the victim's debit card in Connecticut and New Jersey during the journey, eventually driving to Maine before returning to Illinois. On July 4, 2020, the victim's vehicle was found burned in Lee County, Illinois. Court documents note that a relative in Illinois assisted the pair in evading police and has since been prosecuted by authorities there.
The couple were on the run for 19 days before being apprehended in Sterling, Illinois, following a standoff involving multiple state agencies.
Multi-agency investigation
The investigation was a joint effort between the Georgetown City Police Department, the Milford, Connecticut Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff's Office in Illinois, the Whiteside Illinois Police Department, the Illinois State Police, and the FBI Cast team. Kendree's family assisted investigators by providing access to his financial records.
Smith Martin singled out Georgetown City Police Chief Bill Pierce and Investigator Allan Morris, as well as Officers Derick Ranken, Matt Kipping, and Nate Macklin from Illinois, who travelled to Georgetown in preparation for the trial.
"Without the hard work and the tireless dedication of all officers involved in this case, these individuals may have still been on the run," Smith Martin said. "It was truly a team effort and one that deserves the highest level of praise from the community."
Johnson's criminal history stretches back to 2009 and includes convictions in Illinois for felony burglary, residential burglary, assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, and multiple violations of probation. At the time of the Georgetown murder, he was already a fugitive from Illinois authorities on pending aggravated assault charges.
Family members of both victims addressed the court during the guilty plea hearings and said they were satisfied with the outcome.
Source: Google News GY — Georgetown