JONESBORO, Ark. – A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for the fatal shooting of another teenager two years ago. On Monday, Sept. 9, Second Judicial Circuit Judge Randy Philhours sentenced Jaylon J. Sturdivant to 15 years (180 months) in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Sturdivant also received an additional 10 years of suspended imposition of sentence (SIS), meaning he will face further penalties if he violates his probation.
In a related charge of aggravated assault, Judge Philhours sentenced Sturdivant to 6 years (72 months) of SIS.
The charges stem from the shooting death of 19-year-old Madison Wilfong on Aug. 14, 2022. According to court documents, Wilfong and a friend had delivered marijuana to a residence on Ferrell Street and were paid with a counterfeit $100 bill. Realizing the bill was fake, Wilfong and three others returned to the home to confront the buyers.
As one of Wilfong’s friends tried to force their way inside, Sturdivant, who was 17 at the time, warned them to leave or he would shoot. When Wilfong and his friends began running toward the parking lot, gunshots were fired from the residence. Wilfong was struck and killed by one of the shots.
Witnesses later identified Sturdivant as the shooter, leading to his arrest.
Sturdivant is currently being held at the Craighead County Detention Center while awaiting transport to the Arkansas Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
