Quadruple murderer gets life

CHEROKEE COUNTY — A Cherokee County man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for his role in a 2021 murder in New Summerfield that left four people dead. According to our news partner KETK, Jesse Pawlowski was sentenced to life in prison on Monday without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murders of John Clinton, Jeff Gerla, Ami Hickey and Amanda Bain.

Arrest affidavits revealed, that Pawlowksi along with with Dylan Welch and Billy Phillips planned to meet Clinton at his trailer home and attempted to steal a handgun from him. After receiving a report of a dead body near the home, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office found that Clinton had been shot in the head.

During the search of the trailer, deputies also found the bodies of Gerla, Bain and Hickey on the property, which prompted an investigation to be launched for a another murder. Detectives spoke to a woman who claimed to have information about the murders. The woman stated she heard one of the suspects state that Pawlowski shot three people and Phillips shot one.

Pawlowski was later interviewed by detectives, where he admitted to shooting Clinton in the back of the head after stealing the gun, authorities said. Pawlowski, Welch and Phillips were arrested and charged with capital murder days after the murder occurred.

Before the 2nd District Judge on Monday, Pawlowski pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. He is expected to begin his life sentence immediately without the possibility of parole.