News
News

Griffin woman faces involuntary manslaughter charges after fatal shooting

Renita Maxine Thomas, 25, is also charged with aggravated assault and pointing a gun at another after the death of Johnny Whitlock.

Credit: AJC File

Credit: AJC File

Renita Maxine Thomas, 25, is also charged with aggravated assault and pointing a gun at another after the death of Johnny Whitlock.
By Tanni Deb
Oct 7, 2020

A Griffin woman has been arrested on involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from a fatal shooting Tuesday, police said.

Renita Maxine Thomas, 25, who was arrested Wednesday, is also charged with aggravated assault and pointing a gun at another after the death of Johnny Whitlock, according to a news release from the Griffin Police Department.

Officers said Whitlock, 40, was shot in the chest about 7 p.m. in the 1200 block of Ellis Road. He was taken to Spalding Wellstar Hospital, where he died from his injuries, according to the release.

UPDATED PRESS RLEASE

Posted by City of Griffin Police Department on Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Authorities have not said how they linked Thomas to the shooting or if additional arrests are expected in the case.

She was booked into the Spalding County Jail with no bond, according to online jail records.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

In other news:

About the Author

Tanni Deb, a Michigan native, is a content producer for the AJC, primarily covering breaking news, crime and public safety. After graduating from Northwestern University, she worked as a TV reporter before producing long-form feature videos on business trends across Africa.

Follow Tanni Deb on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

The SNAP program provided benefits to about 13% of Georgia’s population, 1.4 million people, during the 2024 fiscal year. (Associated Press)

Credit: Sipa USA via AP

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

The state’s error rate during fiscal 2024 was exceeded by only Alaska and the District of Columbia

Gwinnett drops charges against Spanish-language reporter in ICE custody

Misdemeanor charges against journalist Mario Guevara have now been dropped in both Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

DISPATCH

In Georgia’s melon mecca, watermelon wizards’ ears are sweetly attuned

In the heart of Georgia's watermelon country, everyone has a trick to tell if a melon is ripe. One way is the sound a melon makes when it is thumped. Or better, patted.

The Latest

Friends, Chyna Bradley (from left), Keyvarious Wilson, Timeshia Alexander, pose in line outside Beyonce's Cowboy Carter concert in Atlanta on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC).

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Rhone: Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

AJC Peachtree Road Race updates: Keep the momentum going

Featured

Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Georgia disability rights advocates fear weakening of U.S. accessibility law

Advocates worry the Department of Energy’s move could be the start of a broader effort by other federal agencies to roll back civil rights rules.

From boycott to ballgame: Baseball’s political All-Star Game saga returns to Georgia

MLB pulled the 2021 All-Star Game from Georgia over the state's voting law, Senate Bill 202. Now it’s back — and Republicans say the return proves they were right all along.

OPINION

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Preparations for the show pushed people out of their comfort zones — into new stores, new communities, a new style of dress, and in some cases, to visit new cities.