All five defendants in the 2013 robbery and murder of a Villa Rica jewelry store owner have entered guilty pleas and been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
A news release issued by the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office said four of the defendants — Raphael Rucker, Bernard Hunt, Greg Clifton and Cranford Phelps — pleaded guilty Monday to charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, as well as gangs violations. Each received a sentence that included 30 years in prison.
The pleas come more than two months after Eric Billings, the 16-year-old shooter in the smash-and-grab robbery that left jeweler Mitch Mobley dead, entered his own plea Feb. 4 and was sentenced to life in prison.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Jeff Hunt said the Mobley family was consulted before the pleas were accepted.
“The final decision of course rests with our office, but we don’t make these decisions without consulting them,” Hunt said. “They agreed with how we disposed of this case. They were glad it’s over and glad that they’ve all gone to prison.”
Prosecutors said that, around lunchtime on June 26, 2013, Billings, Rucker, Clifton and Bernard Hunt entered Mobley Company Jewelers on South Carroll Road. Billings was armed with a gun while the other three used mallets to smash display cases and take jewelry.
Cranford was outside, waiting to serve as the getaway driver.
When a store employee fled, Billings gave chase but was confronted by Mobley. Billings fired three shots but missed. Mobley returned fire, authorities said, striking Bernard Hunt on the arm as the group fled.
The encounter, however, wasn’t over.
Billings was reportedly looking for a way out of the back of the store when he again came upon Mobley, whose back was turned. Billings fired three shots, hitting Mobley twice and killing him.
Mobley was 45 years old.
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