The day after allegedly shooting and killing an 18-year-old, two teenagers and their parents went to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. After speaking with detectives, the pair was arrested and charged with murder.
On Monday, more details were released regarding the arrests of the boys ages 15 and 16 in connection with the New Year's Eve death of Gage Elliott McGee.
Investigators believe Randy Deforrest Frederick, 16, of Cartersville, and Trent Lee Jacobs, 15, of Dallas, had arranged to buy marijuana from McGee on Wednesday afternoon, according to Cpl. Ashley Henson. The trio had arranged to meet at the water tank on Bryan Miller Road, in the Union community in western Paulding County, he said.
McGee drove to the meeting point shortly before 3 p.m., according to deputies. Frederick and Jacobs walked to the spot, with one allegedly bringing a gun. No information on who owned the gun was released, but it was not stolen, Henson told the AJC.
“When McGee showed up, he met with Frederick and Jacobs, who produced a gun with the intent of robbing McGee,” Henson said in an emailed statement Monday. “During the robbery, there was some type of altercation which led to McGee getting shot. Once McGee got shot, he got back inside his vehicle and tried to flee the scene for help.”
McGee crashed his car a short distance away and was dead when deputies were called to the scene, at 2:51 p.m., according to police. He had been shot in the chest.
The following day, Frederick and Jacobs, along with their parents, went to the Paulding sheriff’s office. Both teens were arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery, all felonies.
Despite their ages, the two suspects have been charged as adults, Henson said. Frederick and Jacobs were being held without bond Monday in separate youth detention centers, including one in Rome and one in Marietta.
It was not known if Frederick and Jacobs had prior criminal records. Because of their ages, any prior records would likely have been handled in juvenile court and sealed, Henson said. McGee was arrested in November on a misdemeanor drug charge, booking records showed.
The funeral for McGee, a South Paulding High School senior, was held Monday morning at Clark Funeral Home in Hiram.
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