Clayton County Man Sentenced to Life After Jury Convicts Him of Kidnapping With Bodily Injury

A Clayton County jury has convicted Kelvin White on charges of kidnapping with bodily injury and false imprisonment, bringing an end to a disturbing case that began in 2022. District Attorney Tasha M. Mosley announced the verdict, which was delivered Friday, September 12, 2025.

Prosecutors showed that on May 9, 2022, White entered a woman’s Jonesboro home around 3 a.m. while she slept. He climbed on top of her, covered her mouth, and threatened to kill her and her son if she screamed. He then gagged her, taped her mouth and arms, placed a pillowcase over her head, and forced her out of the house and into his vehicle.

White drove the victim for roughly an hour and a half toward Macon. She managed to loosen the tape enough to speak and pleaded for her life, eventually convincing him to bring her back home by telling him she would comply with whatever he wanted. Investigators later documented bruising on her arms along with duct tape found inside White’s vehicle and the pillow from which the pillowcase had been taken.

Assistant District Attorney Sheila Francois led the prosecution with Chief Assistant District Attorney Zina Pitts as co-counsel. Major Case Investigator Luis Gomez and Victim Advocate Kennedy Smith also assisted. The trial began September 8 and concluded four days later before Superior Court Judge Aaron Mason.

With a recidivist notice filed ahead of trial, White was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

District Attorney Mosley praised her team’s work and said she hopes the verdict offers some measure of peace to the victim and her family.