The killers of Fayetteville Applebee’s manager Gregory Smith on June 7, 2015 had their day in court and have been sentenced to life without parole after being found guilty on all counts of murder, felony murder and armed robbery.
Greg Haney Jr, 25, of Jonesboro, and Ledarrius Jawon Jackson, 26, of Hampton, were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, according to District Attorney Scott Ballard.
The murder convictions came with life sentences with no parole while the armed robbery convictions came with consecutive life sentences, Ballard added.
Judge Fletcher Sams announced the sentences on June 1, a day after the jury returned with a verdict of guilty on all counts.
“I am very pleased,” said Ballard of the verdict. “The Fayetteville Police Department worked very hard, as did the district attorney’s staff, working night and day for weeks.”
On June 7, 2015, at approximately 6:30 a.m., the body of Smith, 27, was found in his vehicle, which was parked in the Applebee’s parking lot where he was night manager. Smith’s girlfriend had become concerned when he did not arrive home the night before and drove to Applebee’s to check on him. When she found the body, she called 911 immediately.
There was one gunshot entry in the driver’s side window and police located shell casings in the parking lot. Police canvassed local businesses for surveillance video and later released video of a Chevrolet Malibu that had driven behind Applebee’s moments before Smith exited the restaurant.
Haney and Jackson were arrested in early July last year.
Speaking after the arrests, Fayetteville Police spokesman Mike Whitlow thanked members of the community who provided the tips, especially after the suspect’s vehicle was provided to the media, that led to the arrests.
“The tips led us to the suspects,” Whitlow said.
