NEED TO KNOW
- Aaron White was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of his bride’s stepdad, Jason Maughon
- A grand jury failed to indict White on April 14, 2025, on felony murder charges, citing a lack of evidence, per authorities
- However, Towaliga District Attorney Jonathan Adams took the case to a second grand jury, which indicted White for felony murder
A Georgia groom has reportedly been arrested in connection with the death of his bride’s stepfather.
Aaron White, 33, was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of Jason Maughon, 44, who was killed at his stepdaughter’s wedding in Butts County in July 2024, according to local outlets WSB-TV and the Jackson Progress-Argus.
White was detained at Butts County jail, and his bail was set at $100,000.
The Butts County Sheriff’s Office and Towaliga District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the incident.
Butts County Sheriff Gary Long told WSB-TV that his office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. They determined that Maughon and another of the bride’s relatives had a fight and showed up in separate cars at the event.
Shortly after that, the other relative began firing a gun and Maughon charged at White who grabbed his own gun from his truck, according to authorities.
White told WSB-TV that he shot at Maughon because he “feared for my life.”
“The last time I seen him, he was threatening to cut me, so it’s a fear for my life,” White noted to the outlet. “[It] really makes you, as much as you don’t want to have to second guess, having to defend yourself.”
Towaliga District Attorney Jonathan Adams said on Facebook in May that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation presented their case of charging White with felony murder to a Butts County Grand Jury on April 14, 2025, and the Grand Jury determined there was a lack of evidence to indict.
However, he urged people in the same post to contact law enforcement if they had any additional information regarding this case.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Adams took the case to a second grand jury, which indicted White for felony murder, per WSB-TV. He told the outlet that he decided after the ballistics report came in, following the first grand jury, and said that while White had the right to use self-defense, he did not have a right to use deadly force.
White’s defense attorney, Bret Dunn, told WSB-TV in a statement, “Jonathan Adams is making a politically motivated decision based on him wanting to be a judge.”
PEOPLE was unable to find a contact for Dunn.
Read the full article here
