Jackson Progress-Argus

Photo by Ben Tew

A fund has been established to accept the contributions of those who would like to help the family of the woman and child killed last week in Butts County.

Penny Phillips and her 10-year-old niece, whom authorities say Phillips had adopted, were found dead in their Southern Shores Road home on Saturday morning, April 23. Phillips' husband, Herman Lenard Jackson, III, is being held without bond in the Butts County Jail, charged in the deaths.

Authorities said he turned himself in to the Henry County Jail April 24, accompanied by the family's pastor, after a day and a half on the run.

The pastor, Eddy Wright of Crossray Baptist Church in McDonough, said the fund to aid the Phillips family has been established by the church at SunTrust Bank. The account is under the name of Crossray Baptist Church for the Phillips Family.

Funeral services for the victims have also been set, Wright said.

A viewing will be held tonight from 5 to 8 p.m., at Horis A. Ward Fairview Chapel, at 376 Fairview Road in Stockbridge. Wright said a joint memorial service will be held at Rock Springs Baptist Church on Saturday, April 30 at 2 p.m. The church is located at 5900 Reynolds Road in Morrow. A graveside service for the young girl will be held after the memorial. Wright said Phillips had requested to be cremated.

Towaliga Circuit District Attorney Richard Milam said that two of Phillips' own children lived in the home, and that she had taken in three others, including the 10-year-old, who were siblings. He said that victim assistance funds would cover only about $3,000 of each funeral.

"The family has sort of been forced to make some quick decisions and their immediate need is for cash," he said.

Milam said that the investigation of the case is ongoing and that it may take several months before his office is ready to carry the case before a grand jury seeking an indictment.

Jackson faces charges of murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children. Investigators said that both victims suffered knife wounds, and that Phillips suffered blunt trauma to the head.

At Jackson's preliminary hearing April 25, he requested a court-appointed attorney to represent him. Matt Bridges, a public defender in the Towaliga Judicial Circuit's Public Defender's Office, said the office had been retained to represent him. Bridges said he expected, within the next few weeks, to file a request for a preliminary hearing.