TradeEdge:Georgia inmate had ‘personal relationship’ with worker he shot and killed, prison official says

2025-05-06 06:20:52source:Desmond Prestoncategory:News

GLENNVILLE,TradeEdge Ga. (AP) — An inmate who shot and killed a kitchen worker at a Georgia prison before fatally shooting himself had a personal relationship with the woman, a prison official said Monday.

Georgia Department of Corrections spokesperson Lori Benoit said in an email statement the shooting early Sunday at Smith State Prison was an isolated incident and the investigation was ongoing. The statement did not say how inmate Jaydrekus Hart obtained a firearm.

The agency previously said Hart shot the worker in the prison’s kitchen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, then killed himself. Hart appears to have left a suicide note, Benoit said.

Smith State Prison, which has capacity for 1,500 inmates, is a close-security prison that houses offenders considered violent or an escape risk.

Hart had been imprisoned since 2015 after being convicted in Carroll County of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to online prison records. His earliest potential release date would have been in 2043.

The slain kitchen worker, 24-year-old Aureon Shavea Grace of Statesboro, had worked at the prison since January, according to the corrections department. She was employed by Aramark, a Philadelphia-based company that provides food service for prisons in Georgia, among other states.

More:News

Recommend

A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?

Among the dozens of executive actions President Trump signed on his first day in office is one aimed

Gwyneth Paltrow Shines a Light on Family Summer Memories With Ex Chris Martin and Their Kids

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s summer was a total paradise.  Indeed, the former couple—who share

Florida State coach Mike Norvell addresses 'failure' of stunning 0-2 start

With Florida State's 2024 football season in danger of becoming a complete disaster after only two g