Two men who took part in the 2018 slaying of a man just before Christmas pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday, Sept. 15.
Vinson J. Goodwin, 60, Richard T. Jenkins-Hill, 27, and Joseph Turner, 35, were all charged with murder in the Dec. 22, 2018, fatal shooting to 33-year-old Marquez S. Gilstrap. Jenkins-Hill shot Gilstrap as they completed a marijuana deal at Goodwin’s Dent Street home.
Turner was the first to plead guilty Dec. 16, 2021, to involuntary manslaughter for a sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation. At his Richmond County Superior Court sentencing hearing, Turner said he contacted Gilstrap on Jenkins-Hill’s behalf about buying two pounds of marijuana. Gilstrap took the $2,000 payment then went back to his car for the marijuana and when he stepped back inside, Jenkins-Hill shot him, Turner said.
On Thursday, Jenkins-Hill pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation. Goodwin pleaded guilty to concealing the death of another and was sentenced to the time he has been incarcerated since his arrest, followed by just over six years on probation.
After Gilstrap was killed, his body was put in his vehicle which was moved to Powell Road in Hephzibah and set on fire. He wasn’t positively identified until February 2019.
Goodwin admitted he cleaned up the evidence of the shooting after the victim was removed from his home.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.Â
