Justin Isaac Drinkard was sentenced to Life in prison Friday for beating a young man to death with a baseball bat in 2018, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Drinkard, 38, was found guilty of Second-Degree Murder and Trespassing (while armed) on April 19 after a 4-day trial. Prosecutor Peter Overstreet presented witnesses and evidence proving the defendant repeatedly beat Jerry Dee Benefield, Jr., 20, in the head with a baseball bat after Benefield tried to defend his girlfriend.
The defense argued that the defendant should get a 22-year sentence followed by probation due to his drug addiction.
After hearing from the defense and Overstreet Friday, Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay agreed with Overstreet’s argument that a life sentence was the only way to protect the community.
“This was a vicious, senseless case and the defendant was on probation at the time,” Overstreet said. “He’s been placed on probation over and over for drug charges and he can’t hack it, and now while he’s on probation he commits this murder.
“So, there’s nothing more this court can do to protect this community except to sentence him to the rest of his life in prison.”
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The defendant was arrested for beating Benefield to death in his Lynn Haven home Nov. 25, 2018.
Overstreet proved to jurors that the defendant showed up unannounced at the victim’s home trying to buy methamphetamine. After using meth with the victim and his girlfriend, testimony showed he refused to leave and instead followed the girl into a bathroom and shut the door.
The girl screamed for help. The victim got the door open and became engaged in a struggle with Drinkard, who grabbed a baseball bat and beat the victim in the head, even after he lay unconscious.
Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its work on the case, which occurred just a month after Hurricane Michael hit and while the county was in a state of emergency.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.