Man accused of stabbing grandmother and dog to death in TV rage dies in Columbus jail
A man accused of stabbing his grandmother and her dog to death in a rage over something on TV has died in the Muscogee County Jail.
Gregory Wharton Jr. was found dead in his cell on Dec. 12, said Sheriff Greg Countryman, whose office operates the jail.
Coroner Buddy Bryan said he examined Wharton, and found no signs of foul play or self-inflicted injury, but he still awaited state autopsy results on the cause of death.
Wharton, 26, was pronounced dead at 3:50 a.m., Bryan said.
He was charged with murder the July 24 death of 77-year-old Lystra Lewis on Wedel Drive, where he first argued with his mother about a TV show and attacked her, then fought with a brother who came to her aid, investigators said.
When the mother and brother fled to a bedroom, Wharton went outside, crawled into the room through a window, and started breaking items, police said.
The mother and brother told officers they last saw Lewis in the home’s hallway, and they did not see Wharton stab her.
Police arriving 15 minutes after a 5:55 p.m. 911 call saw Wharton running from the house, and chased him as he left a trail of blood from Wedel Drive to Whitesville Road, and got away.
He fled to Harris County, where sheriff’s deputies caught him about six miles from Wedel Drive.
Police searching the home found the grandmother in the front foyer, stabbed in the neck, they said. The dog officers described as possibly a terrier puppy or Shih Tzu mix was found near the back door, stabbed in the chest, they said.
In Wharton’s book bag they found a shirt and pants with blood on them, plus a cell phone and wallet. They did not find a knife or other weapon, Sgt. Danielle Danforth testified during Wharton’s preliminary hearing in Columbus Recorder’s Court.
She said the mother and brother were treated at the hospital for injuries from fighting with Wharton.
Besides murder, he was charged with using a knife to commit a felony, aggravated cruelty to animals, and two counts of battery involving family violence.
His court case will be closed.
This story was originally published December 29, 2023 at 11:43 AM.