Three more people allegedly involved in the 2018 death of Pernell Boston were arrested Wednesday, according to Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes.
Boston died June 24, 2018 in Midway after being the victim of a hit and run June 16, 2018.
Five people have now been charged in connection with the crime. Arrested Wednesday were Tyler Jorden Marshall, John Christopher Hope Jr., and Myra Ann Prevatt.
Rosaleen Fonseca Behnke and Michael Thomas Haggerty were arrested May 19.
Haggerty is charged with sale of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two home invasions, armed robbery, aggravated battery, interference with a 9-1-1 call, battery and conspiracy to violate the Georgia controlled substance that lead to the death of another.
Prevatt is charged with sale of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two home invasions, armed robbery, aggravated battery, interference with a 9-1-1 call, and battery.
Marshall is charged with two home invasions, two armed robberies, aggravated battery, interference with a 9-1-1 call, and battery.
Hope is charged with two home invasions, two armed robberies, aggravated battery, interference with a 9-1-1 call, battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Behnke was charged with sale of kethamphetamine and conspiracy to violate the Georgia controlled substance that lead to the death of another.
Sikes said Behnke was already in Liberty County Jail after her arrest in on criminal drug charges. Haggerty is in jail in McIntosh County on drugs and weapons charges.
According to Sikes, investigators gathered information a few months after the accident that led them to believe Boston was intentionally hit but were unable to prove it.
Sikes said Long County Sheriff Craig Nobles, McIntosh County Sheriff Steve Jessup and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives began a coordinated effort, “to eradicate increasingly violent crimes within their respective counties.”
Sikes said the investigation targeted the distribution of illegal narcotics, to include the illegal sale of firearms. As the investigation progressed, they solved numerous other violent crimes including the armed robbery of a convenience store, two home invasions and conspiracy drug investigation allegedly resulting in the death of Boston.
Nobles said the investigation started back in 2018 when they formed a multi-jurisdictional task force and held quarterly meetings to share information and resources.
“We have the same goals,” Nobles said. “We have a lot of good guys working in our agencies who are committed and dedicated.”
“We share the manpower, intelligence and equipment,” Jessup added. “It’s all for the one goal of stopping crime. We are looking to clean up all three counties.”
Sikes said they got a break in the case in January of this year.
He said investigators were working a armed robbery case that happened at the service station at exit 67 near the Liberty/McIntosh County line.
“Once the dominoes started falling some of the dominoes wanted to talk and brought up some names,” Sikes said.
Sikes said the investigation continues and more arrests are possible.
“We are taking a lot of bad guys off the street,” Sikes said.