On September 19, 2022, Phillip Allen York pled guilty to the crimes of First-Degree Murder and Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon...
On September 19, 2022, Phillip Allen York pled guilty to the crimes of First-Degree Murder and Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon.
Judge Robert Krebs sentenced York to serve life in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the murder of Sarah Jane Willard and 10 years on the charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Assistant District Attorney Justin Lovorn stated: “I want to commend the hard work of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and FBI in their collaborative investigation and pursuit of justice for Sarah.”
District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated: “This was a heinous crime driven by the Defendant’s selfish sexual desires. The defendant thought that no one would come looking for the victim. He was wrong. Sarah’s life mattered and today we got justice for her and her family.”