A 39-year-old from North Carolina has been found guilty of the murder of a trucker back in 2015 during an attempted robbery. The man was on the run for about a year and a half before authorities caught up with him.
It was shortly before 3:45am on June 9th, 2015. 63-year-old Thomas “Chilly” Childs was prepping his truck on the grounds of Ridgway Industries in Yeadon, North Carolina for a trip up to New York State. According to prosecutors, that’s when Rodney Shelton approached Childs with a handgun and attempted to rob him. When Childs refused, Shelton allegedly fired two shots, one of which struck Childs who died a short while later.
During the investigation, police found a 9mm handgun, Childs’ cell phone, and $23 in cash inside the grounds of a cemetery nearby.
For 18 months, Shelton evaded police until he was finally captured in Georgia. He was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, murder in the first, second and third degrees, robbery, possessing an instrument of crime and firearms offenses.
After less than four hours of deliberation, the jury returned the verdict. They found Shelton guilty of second degree murder, robbery, and multiple firearms offenses. According to the Delaware County District Attorney General, Shelton will face a mandatory minimum of life in prison.
“It’s been a long week, but it’s a happy ending,” said Ginger Childs, the wife of the late trucker.
Source: delcotimes, delcotimes, delcotimes
Dave says
Dont waste our money paying for his keep in prison. Execute him Now!!!!
Ronald Pollick says
And don’t waste any money one bullet in the noggan or the grape Or the head whatever you call it but just one
Devon Knight says
I can see the “ending”, but fail to see anything “happy”, about it.
I do understand what she meant,and after almost two years, the grieving period although never ends, but to some degree becomes less painful.
Just an all around shame, and loss for all.
Go with God,
A fellow trucker, and child of God. 📿
Robert Walters says
That’s B’s he took a life so his life needs to end,Y do the tax payers have to support scumbags like him; the Bible says an eye for an eye,he took a life so his life needs to end…
C.W. says
Careful what you wish for. If the world really was an eye for an eye, we’d all be blind.
Chad Hoffmeyer says
True or wrongly accused..
Niscrappy says
So true C.W.
Mike Perron says
I agree. This scumbag murdered a man and now he gets free room, board and medical care for the rest of his life. BS!!!!!
Iriemonarch says
Have you been to privatization prison lately ? It’s worse than death.
Larry says
I agree, but it costs more money to keep them on death row & kill them than to serve life in prison.
zee says
why keep him on death row…
it’s the jury’s duty to make sure his
last breath is the next morning at dawn.
I’m not against owning a gun. Yet this one decided
to get a gun and use it to end a man’s life…someone like the rest of us pro drivers out there bringing America it’s everything…
at great cost to his own life. This killer could have expended the effort getting a gun to feed a homeless person,etc. He chose poorly.
No, Mrs. Childs, there is nothing happy about this.
It is a tragedy. And the bravery of this driver was to stand up and say
No to this low life.
Butch says
Yes, why should the tax payers have to keep this bastard. Somebody should just put a bullet in his head. If that is to costly, than “lynch” him.
We never use to keep this scum in jail for the rest of their life.
Jim says
Yeadon (Philly), Pennsylvania… not North Carolina.
Instagram: MuthaTrucka69 says
That’s the exact same thing I was saying.. but then I was like, maybe there’s a Yeadon, NC. btw.. believe it or not, they don’t like to be called Philly, lol.
Pete says
yea i agree with u robert.Take his life instead of us having to take care of him in prison thats b.s
Jamie Stevenson says
And we can’t carry guns in our trucks for protection!! What a bunch of bs. We need reciprocation for license to carry. The constitution supersedes all state law.
Jimmy Chesteen says
Execute him…
Driver says
Another prime example of why long haul truckers should be allowed to carry firearms .
C Ellis says
No not really…..it was a BAD set of circumstances….what cld A driver do…if hed or she had left the gun in thetruck doing the pretrip….what then? And what about ALL the. Laws that are being violated in each state as that gun crosses state after state after state…..just not that simple….anyway I’ve been OTR bout 27yrs…..never felt IN DANGER ..i think people like that FEELING of a gun on their person…bc its COOL. and its part of the tragic American Way.
baseball apple pie and school shootings …….also ..ALL CO drivers MUST comply with THAT trucking company rules on guns in vehicle….and what about all the other people who travel for a living other than semi people. Seems before you know it EVERY SOUL is carrying…in USA …i don’t want to amongst 185million citizens carrying ….this isn’t 1840 any longer …..oh i know MANY MANY despise me for these thoughts …that’s the American way as well …..hopefully CIVIL discourse carries on.
Amanda Myers says
There is no law that says you can not carry. Do you home work cause I have my conceal carry and I do!
zee says
you have the right to keep and bear arms. You can do so.
Congress has the power to regulate transportation under the
Commerce Clause.
That clause does not give Congress the power to take away your God given rights to protect yourself.
The CDL doesn’t remove your right either.
The Supreme Court had reiterated your right to Keep and Bear Arms.
Kevin Vick says
You can carry a concealed weapon in your truck. Certain states like NY don’t allow it though. Do some research and you will find that this is true. I carry one everywhere I go. I obviously don’t go to NY.
Roger Williams says
Show me where the law states I am not allowed to carry my Colorado Ccw “concel carry weapons permit “is current I always carry. Some states don’t accept Colorado reciprocity I’m supposed to unload firearm and store ammo and firearm separately under lock and key. I know I’m not alone saying this is a huge over reach and also a hindering to my American born constitutional rights to bear arms. It would only ever come into question if you ever needed to use it in self defense situation and I would rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6.
Thomas says
RIP…. People locking him up is the best thing we need to do because it sends a strong message to others that we ain’t messing around AND it allows him to tell others the message.
His mind will be so messed up as he gets older it won’t even be funny at the same time we didn’t stoop to bis level and do the same to him.
Terry Beckham says
So your all for paying for him to stay in prison for life?
Glad you would be able to afford housing a douchbag for life.
I’m also glad you have a extra couple hundred thousand dollars you dont need.
outback says
BS. If it really sends a message then why are Are all the prisons
Over crowded???
Tom says
Sorry but I disagree. Locking him up does not send a message to others of his kind. If that were true we’d be seeing decreases in crime.
When he’s locked away he’s “outta sight, outta mind”. Nobody gets a message.
I believe in bringing back “chain-gangs”. Put these criminals to work; picking up litter, graffiti removal, landscaping, etc in the communities they came from. THAT would “send a message” to his peers as well as serve the community.
Jerry says
So he get free health, dental and vision insurance in prison while most of us have to pay premiums and pay out exorbant health insurance deductibles. Mine is $4000.00 deductible before the insurance starts paying 80%, and this is yearly!!!
Dirt bag system.
Jerry says
So he get free health, dental and vision insurance in prison while most of us have to pay premiums and pay out exorbant health insurance deductibles. Mine is $4000.00 deductible before the insurance starts paying 80%, and this is yearly!!!
Dirt bag system, and he’s a muderer!
Kacoby Hites says
He will also have many “romantic” interludes.
Rand Foreman says
Hang him high or put him before a firing squad.
K W Thompson says
Well Ladies an Gents , All i can say is GOD say”s that if you take a life your life should be taken an you will be damned to eternal fires of Hell. Now if you think that you,re above GOD,s law then my friends, YOU are in for a rude awaking. Yes i believe in the right to bear arms.
zee says
So KW…what part of God’s word are you quoting?
All those people God directed to kill other people in battle,
That an exception to the Word ?
zee says
how about the soldiers protecting our country? Going to hell?
zee says
the Hebrew word regard’s murder, the Thoult shalt not Kill commandment is interpreted wrong by man , the Word is murder,
not Kill.
So if you kill in self defense, you go to hell? Seems you are
the judge and jury, When God’s Word say to not judge.
We can subscribe a punishment for murder though, as even
though we sin, we can be forgiven and yet there is a need to hold
the sinner , in this case murderer responsible for their actions.
Richard A. says
These guys in prison eat better than the average working person, with their health care needs paid for. The taxpayer supports these murderers for the rest of their natural lives. That’s an injustice.
zee says
they get better everything than homeless people.
James says
Execute this scumbag. Why should the taxpayers pay for his living expenses for the rest of his life. If his relatives don’t want him executed, then they should be responsible for all his living costs.
Ron T says
Thomas: I AGREE!!
jim says
GO BACK TO THE OLD WEST HANG HIM NEXT DAY
zee says
yep.
Robert S. says
‘It’s been a long week, but it’s a happy ending’…
Yeah- tell that to that trucker’s family. Yes, his murderer was brought to Justice (more or less), but that trucker is still dead. His family will mourn their loss for years.
I fail to understand how this is ‘a happy ending’…
Allen says
You realize your quoting the victim’s wife, right?
Dale says
Better read the article again it was the drivers wife saying it is a happing ending. He got caught and paying something for his crime.
Derrick Belton says
Mr.Walter;s an-eye for an-eye is in the old testament, when Jesus came along the vail was split in half so we started forgiving, do you think when those white police officers kill and set up people should we go by that eye for an eye rule then or is it just in there nature.
Jude says
Why the racist tone? Not smart enough or sure enough of your information to go without it?
Phil Casey says
Find a prisoner inside the same cell block as this murder. Make a donation to his prison account on a regular basis. Now, as long as this partner you have joined with keeps making this murder wish he had died as a child, his prison account shall never suffer a negative balance. Provided of course this murder walks around with a limp or has a need for a wheel chair. Reminds me of the Clint Eastwood movie where he visits this con in the joint. & reminds him if anything happens to him or his people, Bubba standing a few cells down won’t get his carton of smokes. Then Bubba is gonna knock on his cell door wanting to know where his smokes are. Classic scene for the times.
Scott says
All these people that say to kill him, that’s letting him off easy. I’d rather die then spend life in prison. I say let him rot in there.
zee says
he won’t be getting off easy…the step after execution is a meet
with the Creator…you should wonder if there is a Happy ending there?
Joe Barilari says
Truck drivers should be armed if willing. How else do you protect high value cargo? Dial 911 and through the phone at the hijacker?
Criminal brings a gun, are you supposed though a log book at them? Why should drivers or anyone else in society be defenseless while politicians have armed security?
Even if you give them your money/truck/ whatever, they could shoot you to prevent being a witness.
David says
I agree that crimes of murder ,the perpetrator should be executed straight away. Not wait until next week. However, I say this ,if there was a witness to the crime or by confession,so there is no doubt to the guilt. Our justice system makes mistakes quite often, it would be a terrible tragedy to execute one by mistake ( kinda hard to back up from death ) but, if 12 of his peers deemed that they was sure enough to the guilt,then it’s possible that the evidence was presented or omitted in such a way as to make it look as it seems ,not as it was. That would be to me , a possibility of life in prison. But with, a witness, the execution should be by hanging or firing squad and put on public T.V. so all may watch and see the end of murders here in America . How long has it been since Fort Hood ? And that had witnesses, but someone is worried about “civil rights “, with that many seeing what happened, he shouldn’t have but one right- the right to a speedy trial and a firing squad the very next day, just after the tv cameras are set up .
P.s . That would help the overcrowding prison problem also.