Jacksonville trio indicted for fatal July shootings

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Three Jacksonville men recently were indicted by a Cherokee County Grand Jury in connection with a July 20, 2021, quadruple homicide in New Summerfield.

Jesse Pawlowski, Billy Phillips and Dylan Welch each were charged with capital murder for the shooting deaths of John Clinton, 18; Amanda Bain, 39; Ami Hickey, 39 and Jeff Gerla, 47.

The three suspects are being held on $1 million bond – Pawlowski and Welch are in the Cherokee County Jail, while Phillips was released to the Angelina County Jail on Sept. 23, according to local jail personnel.

According to reports by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the shootings were motivated by robbery; the defendants will be tried separately in the case, said Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beck-worth.

The case remains under investigation, officials said.