Appallingly petty reason man embarked on Atlanta's worst ever crime spree

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment an Atlanta man carried out one of the city's worst ever crime sprees after he shot his girlfriend over a phone charger. 

Fortune Spencer terrorized innocent bystanders and attempted several carjackings around Sandy Springs, Georgia on June 6, 2020, after murdering his girlfriend Sherika Little, 24. 

Cops compiled the surveillance footage detailing Spencer's trail of horror as he recently stood trial for the rampage, and he was ultimately sentenced to life without parole plus 145 years this week. 

Spencer, who was 20 at the time, was seen beginning his array of crimes at a Hilton Hotel where he had been staying with Little to celebrate her 24th birthday. 

After the couple had a fight over a phone charger just after 6pm, Little left the hotel and sat in her car in the parking lot while Spencer stalked the property searching for her. 

The surveillance footage showed Spencer eventually walk out to the parking lot before calmly walking up to Little's car and shooting her through her door. 

The killer was far from done, however, as he then proceeded to carry out a horrific 20-minute crime spree that police said was among the worst they had ever dealt with. 

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told WSBTV after Spencer's sentencing this week: 'Never in the course of my career, have I seen so much chaos and violence in such a short amount of time.' 

Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment Atlanta man Fortune Spencer carried out one of the city's worst ever crime sprees, which began at a Hilton Hotel (seen in surveillance footage) when he shot his girlfriend in an argument over a phone charger

Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment Atlanta man Fortune Spencer carried out one of the city's worst ever crime sprees, which began at a Hilton Hotel (seen in surveillance footage) when he shot his girlfriend in an argument over a phone charger

Spencer, who was 20 at the time, shot and killed his girlfriend Sherika Little, 24, (pictured) before erupting into a horror 20-minute crime spree

Spencer, who was 20 at the time, shot and killed his girlfriend Sherika Little, 24, (pictured) before erupting into a horror 20-minute crime spree

After shooting Little in the head in the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel, Spencer then walked on foot onto the streets and attempted to hijack the owner of a blue sedan. 

When the car's owner resisted, Spencer shot them, and footage showed the driver speeding down the street to get away from the rampage. 

Following the failed carjacking, Spencer was then caught on camera hijacking a car with a grandmother and her three-year-old granddaughter inside. 

The two victims ran down the street for help as Spencer sped away in their vehicle, with cameras then catching Spencer driving erratically. 

Surveillance from a separate parking lot showed Spencer plow into three parked cars in the grandmother's vehicle, at which point he got out and continued his spree on foot. 

Once he reached an intersection, Spencer tried to carjack a white SUV but collapsed into the street when it speeds away from him. 

Another black car then drove near him, leading Spencer to cling to the side of the vehicle before being left sprawling on the road as it also raced away. 

Footage of Spencer's rampage was compiled and released for his trial, which ended this week as he was sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison for the 20-minute spree

Footage of Spencer's rampage was compiled and released for his trial, which ended this week as he was sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison for the 20-minute spree 

Footage from moments before Little's shooting showed Spencer stalking the hallways of the Hilton Hotel searching for her following their argument over a phone charger

Footage from moments before Little's shooting showed Spencer stalking the hallways of the Hilton Hotel searching for her following their argument over a phone charger 

He was then seen finding Little in the parking lot, walking up to her car and shooting her in the head from point blank range

He was then seen finding Little in the parking lot, walking up to her car and shooting her in the head from point blank range 

After escaping the parking lot on foot, Spencer failed a carjacking before taking a different vehicle (pictured) at gunpoint with a grandmother and her three-year-old granddaughter inside

After escaping the parking lot on foot, Spencer failed a carjacking before taking a different vehicle (pictured) at gunpoint with a grandmother and her three-year-old granddaughter inside 

Spencer was seen driving erratically in the grandmother's car before he plowed into three parked cars in a parking lot

Spencer was seen driving erratically in the grandmother's car before he plowed into three parked cars in a parking lot 

After crashing the first car, Spencer walked into an intersection and attempted to carjack a white SUV but failed as it sped away from him

After crashing the first car, Spencer walked into an intersection and attempted to carjack a white SUV but failed as it sped away from him 

Another black SUV then drove near Spencer, leading him to cling to the side of the vehicle

Another black SUV then drove near Spencer, leading him to cling to the side of the vehicle 

Spencer was left sprawled out on the road as the black SUV raced away from him, and police arrived within minutes and took him into custody

Spencer was left sprawled out on the road as the black SUV raced away from him, and police arrived within minutes and took him into custody 

Police arrived at the intersection within minutes of receiving reports of Spencer's repeated attempted carjackings, and he was taken into custody on the street. 

In total, Spencer committed at least 17 felonies, two misdemeanors and victimized nine people within the space of 20 minutes, as officials said they were stunned that it unfolded after only an argument over a phone charger. 

Officials added that Spencer had previously committed domestic abuse against Little, but she had not gone to the police for help.  

'This is a perfect case to show you that domestic violence spills out into the community at large,' Willis said. 

Almost four years on from Little's murder, her mother Carol Pickett said her daughter's killing left her devastated as 'a part of me died'

Almost four years on from Little's murder, her mother Carol Pickett said her daughter's killing left her devastated as 'a part of me died' 

After Spencer was jailed for the rest of his life, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said: 'Never in the course of my career, have I seen so much chaos and violence in such a short amount of time'

After Spencer was jailed for the rest of his life, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said: 'Never in the course of my career, have I seen so much chaos and violence in such a short amount of time' 

Almost four years on from Little's murder, her mother Carol Pickett said her daughter's killing left her devastated. 

'She was my first daughter,' Pickett told WSBTV. 'A part of me died. I literally stopped eating. couldn’t sleep.' 

Officials praised Sandy Springs police for piecing together the spree with surveillance cameras, with the footage used in Spencer's trial that helped a jury return guilty verdicts for the 17 felonies. 

Spencer was sentenced to life without parole plus 145 years for Little's murder. His attorney said Spencer had THC and alcohol in his blood at the time, but suspects his client ingested some other drug unknowingly that caused the incident. 

'He really regrets what happened,' Spencer's defense attorney Doug Weinstein said. 

Georgia

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