“Father and Son Pick Up Hitchhiker, Unaware He is Murder Suspect in Multi-Agency Manhunt”

A Georgia man and his son unknowingly picked up a hitchhiker who turned out to be a murder suspect from North Carolina. The suspect was later arrested in Gillsville, Georgia, after a manhunt. Another man was also arrested in connection with the killing. The investigation is ongoing. Olivia Lloyd reported

A father and son from Georgia were driving to collect a paycheck when they noticed a hitchhiker extending his hand on the side of the road. Without hesitation, the father, Russell Jimmerson, made the decision to offer the stranger a ride, as he had a habit of assisting anyone in need. Unbeknownst to Jimmerson, the man he picked up turned out to be a murder suspect from North Carolina, wanted in connection with a widespread search conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies.

According to the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, authorities had received credible information suggesting that this individual had committed a homicide and disposed of the victim’s body. Consequently, they sought assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on August 6th to aid in their investigation. The following day, the body was discovered in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, prompting a manhunt for the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Keegan Cleve Phillips. The search concluded near the town of Gillsville, approximately 50 miles away from the location where the victim was found.

Various law enforcement agencies, including county sheriff’s offices, the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, and the Georgia State Patrol, collaborated in the extensive operation near Gillsville Highway. Eventually, on August 8th, a resident of Gillsville provided a crucial tip to local authorities, leading to Phillips’ arrest. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office utilized a K-9 unit to locate him, and he was subsequently charged with murder. Another individual, a 62-year-old man from Lula, was also apprehended and faced charges of concealing a death and unlawfully disposing of a body. Currently, both suspects are being held at the Rabun County Detention Center, awaiting further developments in the ongoing investigation. The victim’s identity has not been disclosed by authorities.

Gillsville, situated around 70 miles northeast of Atlanta, served as the backdrop for this unfolding drama. As the investigation progresses, law enforcement remains vigilant in their pursuit of justice..