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Name:
Worrell, Jon
Date of Booking:
05/22/2025
Reason(s) For Booking:
MALICE MURDER
CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TO A FELONY
MURDER
AGGRAVATED BATTERY
Article:
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
5/22/25
JON PATRICK WORRELL ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN COFFEE COUNTY
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell was taken into custody in Coffee County, Georgia on May 22, 2025. According to the arrest warrants, he was facing charges of malice murder, murder, aggravated battery, and conspiracy to commit a felony. This was the beginning of the formal legal process against him.
5/23/25
FIRST APPEARANCE HEARING HELD — BOND DENIED FOR JON PATRICK WORRELL
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell was brought before the Magistrate Court of Coffee County for his first appearance — the initial hearing where a judge reviews the charges and decides whether the defendant can be released while awaiting trial. The court denied bond entirely. The reason checked on the order was that Worrell had been charged with crimes under O.C.G.A. 17-6-1, a Georgia law that gives the Magistrate Court no authority to set bond on certain serious offenses, including murder. That means the question of bond would need to be addressed by a Superior Court judge. The charges listed at this hearing were aggravated battery, conspiracy to commit a felony, murder, and malice murder — all felonies.
5/28/25
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ENTERS APPEARANCE FOR JON PATRICK WORRELL
What this means: Attorney J. Travis Griffin formally notified the court that he would be representing Jon Patrick Worrell as defense counsel. This filing, entered in case SUWF2025000587 in the Superior Court of Coffee County, is a standard step that puts the court and the prosecution on notice of who is speaking for the defendant going forward.
5/28/25
RECORD OF FIRST APPEARANCE FILED — CASE SUWF2025000587
What this means: The paperwork from Jon Patrick Worrell’s initial court appearance was formally filed in the Superior Court of Coffee County under case number SUWF2025000587. This is a routine administrative step that transfers the record of the Magistrate Court proceedings into the Superior Court file.
6/4/25
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR BOND / BOND REDUCTION
What this means: Defense attorney J. Travis Griffin filed a petition asking the Superior Court of Coffee County to set a bond for Jon Patrick Worrell. The outcome of this motion is not reflected in the available documents.
12/17/25
GRAND JURY RETURNS INDICTMENT — 3 COUNTS FILED AGAINST JON PATRICK WORRELL
What this means: A Coffee County grand jury formally indicted Jon Patrick Worrell on three counts during the September 2025 grand jury term. The indictment was filed in the Superior Court of Coffee County on December 17, 2025, under Indictment No. 2025SUR312. District Attorney Marilyn P. Bennett of the Waycross Judicial Circuit signed the indictment. All three counts relate to events alleged to have occurred on or about September 20, 2006, in Coffee County.
Count 1 — Malice Murder (O.C.G.A. 16-5-1(A)): Jon Patrick Worrell is accused of unlawfully and with malice aforethought causing the death of the victim by shooting her. This is the most serious form of murder charge under Georgia law — it means the killing was intentional and deliberate.
Count 2 — Felony Murder (O.C.G.A. 16-5-1(C)): Worrell is accused of causing the victim’s death while in the commission of a felony — specifically aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, by shooting the victim. Under Georgia law, if someone causes a death while committing a separate felony, they can be charged with felony murder even if the killing itself was not premeditated.
Count 3 — Conspiracy to Commit Murder (O.C.G.A. 16-4-8): Worrell is accused of unlawfully conspiring with others to commit murder, and of taking an overt act in furtherance of that conspiracy — specifically, allegedly recruiting certain individuals to kill the victim. The indictment notes that the statute of limitations was tolled (meaning the clock was paused) during the time Worrell was not a resident of Georgia, having allegedly left the state around June 1, 2007, and not returning until his arrest on May 22, 2025.
1/9/26
DEFENSE FILES SPECIAL DEMURRER TO INDICTMENT
What this means: Defense attorney J. Travis Griffin filed a special demurrer challenging the indictment in case SUR2025000312. A special demurrer is a legal motion arguing that while the charges themselves may be valid, the indictment is defective in some specific way — for example, that it lacks enough detail to properly inform the defendant of exactly what he is accused of doing. This is a pretrial challenge to the form or specificity of the indictment, not a claim of innocence. The court scheduled a hearing on this motion for February 18, 2026.
1/13/26
JON PATRICK WORRELL ARRAIGNED — PLEADS NOT GUILTY
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell appeared before the Superior Court of Coffee County for arraignment on January 13, 2026. At arraignment, the defendant is formally read the charges and enters a plea. Worrell was served with a copy of the indictment and entered a plea of not guilty, meaning the case would proceed toward trial. District Attorney Marilyn P. Bennett was present on behalf of the State.
2/18/26
CRIMINAL MOTIONS CALENDAR HEARING — SPECIAL DEMURRER
What this means: The Superior Court of Coffee County held a scheduled motions calendar hearing on February 18, 2026, to address Jon Patrick Worrell’s special demurrer to the indictment in case SUR2025000312. The outcome of this hearing is not reflected in the available documents.
3/18/26
CRIMINAL CALENDAR HEARING
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell’s case appeared on the Superior Court of Coffee County’s criminal calendar on March 18, 2026. The specific purpose or outcome of this calendar date is not reflected in the available documents.
3/18/26
NOLLE PROSEQUI ENTERED — ALL COUNTS DISMISSED IN CASE SUR2025000194
What this means: On March 18, 2026, a judge of the Superior Court of Coffee County signed a Judgment of Nolle Prosequi dismissing all three counts — malice murder, felony murder, and conspiracy to commit murder — in case number SUR2025000194 against Jon Patrick Worrell. A nolle prosequi (Latin for “we shall no longer prosecute”) is a formal declaration by the prosecution that it is dropping the charges in a particular case. The stated reason on the order is that the case was re-indicted as case 25R-312. This means the original charges were not dropped because of a lack of evidence — they were dismissed because the grand jury had already returned a new, superseding indictment under a different case number. Assistant District Attorney John Rumker of the Waycross Judicial Circuit signed the order, and notice was served electronically to defense attorney Travis Griffin.
4/29/26
CRIMINAL CALENDAR HEARING
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell’s case appeared on the Superior Court of Coffee County’s criminal calendar on April 29, 2026. The specific purpose or outcome of this calendar date is not reflected in the available documents.
6/24/26
DEFENSE REQUESTS CONTINUANCE OF MOTIONS HEARING
What this means: Defense attorney J. Travis Griffin verbally requested during a phone status conference that the Superior Court of Coffee County continue — meaning postpone — the motions hearing that had been scheduled for July 21, 2026, in case SUR2025000312. The State did not object to the request.
6/25/26
COURT GRANTS CONTINUANCE — JULY 21 MOTIONS HEARING RESCHEDULED
What this means: The Superior Court of Coffee County granted Jon Patrick Worrell’s motion to continue the pending motions hearing that had been set for July 21, 2026. The court signed the Memorandum of Consent Agreement on June 25, 2026, and indicated the hearing would be reset for a future date. That new date has not yet been identified in the available documents.
7/21/26
SUPERIOR COURT CRIMINAL MOTIONS CALENDAR HEARING
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell’s case is scheduled to appear on the Superior Court of Coffee County’s criminal motions calendar on July 21, 2026. The specific motion or matter to be heard on that date is not identified in the available documents.
8/6/26
CRIMINAL CALENDAR HEARING
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell’s case is scheduled to appear on the Superior Court of Coffee County’s criminal calendar on August 6, 2026. The specific purpose of this calendar date is not identified in the available documents.
11/3/26
MOTIONS CALENDAR HEARING SCHEDULED
What this means: Jon Patrick Worrell’s case is scheduled to appear on the Superior Court of Coffee County’s criminal motions calendar on November 3, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. in case SUR2025000312. This is the rescheduled date for the motions hearing that was previously continued from July 21, 2026.