Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen joined sheriff’s investigators Friday in a brushy area off Gordon Highway and Highland Avenue following the discovery of a human skull.

The investigation began Friday afternoon when surveyors for a gas station made the find, according to witnesses. The coroner was called to the scene as investigators combed through the area.

Just after 4 p.m. the coroner said the discovery was limited to a skull, but they were searching for bones. Yellow crime scene tape was seen off the road as officers helped in the search.

Sheriff’s Investigator Walter McNeil released this statement about the investigation: “On Friday, February 9, 2024, at 11:02am, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2200 Block of Highland Ave in reference to a suspicious situation. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with a Land Survey Crew who advised they located possible skeletal remains in the wooded area where they were working.  Investigators are on scene and there is no additional information available at this time.”

Check back here for any updates on this developing story.

Skyler Andrews contributed to this report.

The post Human Skull Found Off Gordon Highway in Augusta appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Two Richmond County investigators have been fired and arrested after the discovery of a 2022 excessive force incident in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

Johnny Atkinson, 45, was charged Friday with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Austin Birch, 27, was charged with battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Both have been booked into the jail and later terminated, the release said.

On Thursday, Richmond County internal affairs officers were first made aware of a May 2022 incident between deputies and inmates.

“After the review of body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined that the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary,” a press release said.

Atkinson began his RCSO employment in 2018 while Birch began in 2019. They were most recently assigned to the criminal investigations division. At the time of the 2022 incident, they were assigned to the road patrol division.

The post RCSO Investigators Arrested and Fired for 2022 Excessive Force on Inmates appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office successfully thwarted an organized crime ring’s attempt Friday to cash fraudulent checks at Lewiston Express in Grovetown.

Four people were arrested in a scheme that began when the manager of Lewiston Express, Kinjalkumar Patel, grew suspicious after cashing numerous checks from WW Siding, LLC. Upon contacting the owner of WW Siding, Wilfredo Calles, Patel learned that the checks were indeed fraudulent.

As Patel confronted the suspects inside the business, three Hispanic males hastily fled to their vehicles, prompting Patel to follow them into the parking lot. Amid the chaos, Patel fired a shot at one of the vehicles as it drove toward him, resulting in his being struck by the fleeing vehicle as it sped off onto Lewiston Road.

A deputy working in the vicinity heard the commotion and promptly alerted dispatch, leading to a rapid response from law enforcement, said Maj. Steve Morris with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Witnesses provided crucial information, allowing deputies to track down the suspects.

Four Hispanic males, identified as Jorge Eduardo Munoz-Quiroz, Pedro Luis Cueto, Raul Reyes, and another unidentified individual, were apprehended following a coordinated effort by law enforcement officers. The suspects, claiming to be from El Salvador and Colombia but residing in Houston, Texas, confessed to their involvement in the fraudulent check cashing scheme.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle yielded alarming discoveries, including a stolen handgun, Mexican passports, identifications under different names, and multiple fraudulent checks from WW Siding and other businesses. The operation, it was revealed, was meticulously planned by an organized crime ring intent on cashing as many fraudulent checks as possible and regrouping in Texas to divide the ill-gotten gains, Maj. Morris said.

Despite the swift apprehension of the suspects, one individual managed to evade capture, fleeing towards Columbia Road. Law enforcement authorities issued alerts for the outstanding suspects, leading to the eventual arrest of a fourth suspect spotted on I-20 later Saturday morning.

Warrants were issued for the suspects on charges including forgery in the fourth degree, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, and theft by receiving stolen property. All suspects were denied bond as the investigation continued.

The post Grovetown Crime Ring Foiled with Arrest of Foreign-Born Scammers appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

On the same morning that gunfire created chaos at Lucy C. Laney High School, multiple students across town were taking a trip to the Richmond County Jail following a fight.

The fight erupted Monday morning at Hephzibah High School where officers were alerted to a physical altercation in front of the JROTC classroom. Multiple students were engaged in the altercation, authorities said.

The students were separated, and authorities discovered the group was fighting over a photo that was sent in a group chat. Several students were arrested, including seven people charged as adults with affray and booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Several juveniles were also charged and released to their parents. An additional student, 18-year-old Christopher Gillam, is wanted for affray, but has not been taken into custody.

Those charged as adult with affray include Ahstaria Norman, 17, Jonah Purnell, 18, De’vonta Dowdell, 18, and Justin Allen, 18, Ja’Qai Maxwell, 17, Daniel Thompson, 17, and Rico Laston.

The large-scale arrests were never mentioned to parents in a principal letter, according to a search of released letters on the school district’s website. And no press release was issued.

The same morning, gunfire inside a bathroom at Lucy C. Laney High School created chaos Monday morning and led to the detention of the two juveniles involved.

Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies swiftly responded to a report of a shot fired. Brief lockdowns were initiated at the school, as well as at neighboring A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School and C.T. Walker Magnet School.

The post Hephzibah High School Students Arrested for Fighting Over Posted Photo appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A worker at Pollard Lumber Company was killed Monday after entering an industrial conveyor wood chipper at the Appling business, authorities said.

Ralph Pickens, 63, was identified as the employee who died at the business at 5863 Washington Road.

According to initial reports, the incident occurred during routine operations at the lumber company. Pickens tragically found himself in a fatal situation as he entered the industrial conveyor wood chipper.

Authorities swiftly responded to the scene, with Columbia County’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arriving promptly to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Sheriff’s investigators were also dispatched to the scene, with the Coroner en route to assess the situation.

The details surrounding the event remain scarce at this time. However, CID has assured that they are actively investigating the matter.

The post Worker Killed After Entering Industrial Wood Chipper at Pollard Lumber in Appling appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The body of former Richmond County Sheriff’s Investigator Kendall Brown was found Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area on Patriot Drive in Hephzibah, authorities said.

The Coroner’s Office was notified and is in the early stages of the investigation, Coroner Mark Bowen said in a press release. Brown was pronounced dead on the scene at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. The body was found not far from his home. An autopsy is scheduled.

Brown was reported missing to the Sheriff’s Department on Friday. He is former investigator and coordinator with the CSRA Metal Theft Task Force before leaving for a job with the railroad.

Brown was last seen at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 2526 Lumpkin Road in Augusta, on Jan. 28. The sheriff’s office said he possibly left his residence on foot between Jan. 30-Feb. 2 from the 1000 block of Patriot Drive, which is near where he was found. He was listed as possibly endangered.

The search for Brown created a controversy and feud between the sheriffs in Burke and Richmond counties, with Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams criticizing Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree for stopping Burke County officers from helping in the search. Roundtree defended the move in a press release: “While the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office appreciates any agency who would offer their assistance; however, without having all the privileged information associated with this investigation, it could greatly jeopardize the outcome of the investigation.”

Here is Monday’s press release from Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams, followed by the press release from Sheriff Roundtree.

The press release from Sheriff Roundtree:

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Tragedy struck the 1908 Moore Road in Augusta early on Thursday as firefighters battled a house fire that claimed the lives of two young children.

The blaze erupted at 1:04 am Thursday, prompting an emergency response from Augusta Fire EMS. Despite efforts to extinguish the flames, firefighters discovered the lifeless bodies of Ty’Asia Clifford, 10, and Aubrey Williams, 7, inside the home.

The mother and another daughter managed to escape the inferno but were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the fire. The Augusta Fire EMS expressed their condolences, stating, “Our hearts go out to the family” in a somber message.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office has launched an investigation into the tragic incident, seeking to determine the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two children.

Both girls were pronounced dead at the scene at 2:10 am Thursday. Autopsies have been scheduled to provide further insight into the devastating loss.

The post Two Augusta Girls Die in Overnight Fire; Mom & Sister Escape appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Aiken County investigators have charged two men in last week’s shooting death of a Warrenville man, who was found on his front porch.

Austin Blake Satcher, 26, and Zackery Taylor Smith, 28, are both charged in connection to the death of Joseph A. Keenan, Sr.

Investigators were able to take Smith into custody at 209 Pelzer St., Warrenville, without incident on Wednesday. He was booked in jail on charges for murder and burglary. Satcher, who was already detained for unrelated charges, is also charged with murder, burglary and weapon possession.

A warrant for Smith spells out a possible motive: “Zackery Taylor Smith along with his co-defendant Austin Satcher did commit het act of Murder. The victim Joseph Keenan caught Zackery Smith on his property and was shot in the back with a firearm by the co-defendant. The defendant along with the co-defendant did commit the act of burglary by going into the victims residence and stealing his property. The defendant then stole the victims work truck, tools and trailer.”

Keenan, 52, was found on his front porch at 2032 Augusta Road and died after being shot, the coroner said last week. He will be laid to rest on Saturday at Hatcher Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Graniteville.

According to an obituary, the victim was in the construction industry. He enjoyed baseball, playing pool, riding four wheelers, and listening to music.  In addition to his parents, family members include his boys, Joseph Allen Keenan, Jr and his companion, Cailin Peebles and Cameron Keenan as well as several siblings.

Both suspect have criminal records involving weapons and drugs with little or no prison sentences. Satcher, specifically, has previous convictions for burglary, meth possession, possession of a stolen vehicle and unlawful carrying of a pistol.

The post 2 Charged in Death of Warrenville Man Who Was Found on Front Porch appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A fatal accident on Thursday evening has resulted in the loss of 44-year-old David Brady Jr., a Martinez resident.

According to Maj. Steve Morris of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a distress call around 5 p.m. regarding a collision involving a motorcycle at the intersection of Columbia Road and Merchants Village, near Kroger.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Brady was traveling westbound on Columbia Road on his motorcycle, occupying the inside lane. As he approached the vicinity of Regions Bank, a vehicle initiated a left turn from the center turn lane, intending to enter the bank’s parking lot.

The driver failed to detect Brady’s oncoming motorcycle, leading to a collision between the two vehicles. The impact propelled Brady from his motorcycle, causing him to land in the inside westbound lane, while his bike skidded into the center turn lane, Maj. Morris said.

The situation took a turn for the worse mere moments after the initial collision. Approximately ten seconds following the impact, another vehicle traveling westbound on Columbia Road, unaware of the unfolding tragedy, inadvertently struck Brady, who lay incapacitated on the roadway. Despite emergency services being promptly summoned to the scene, Brady succumbed to his injuries.

Charges are pending, Maj. Morris said.

The post Martinez Motorcyclist Dies After Being Run Over After Accident appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A Lexington County couple have been charged with robbing and killing two men, including an Aiken man whose body they dumped at an Edisto River boat landing in November.

Allon Triante Adams, 22, of Leesville, and Cady Elise Keener, 19, of Lexington, face multiple charges including two counts of murder, armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, weapon possession, and desecration of human remains, as per arrest warrants.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon revealed, “Based on evidence and interviews, Adams and Keener are accused of fatally shooting a man during an armed robbery on November 28 in the 600 block of Kestrel Drive in Leesville. Additionally, they allegedly shot another man to death during a robbery attempt on December 30 on Parrish Road in Leesville.”

The victim of the Nov. 28 shooting was identified as Devon Tricoche of Aiken, while the man killed on Dec. 30 was Tony Etheredge Jr. of Leesville, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

Koon stated, “Detectives determined that Adams and Keener moved Tricoche’s body from the scene on Kestrel Drive and disposed of it at an Edisto River boat landing in Aiken County. They initially disposed of Etheredge’s body off Parrish Road but later dumped it in Black Creek, where investigators recovered it Friday evening, leading to the desecration of human remains charge.”

The suspects are currently held in the Lexington County Detention Center following their arrest on separate charges last week.

Sheriff Koon expressed gratitude to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in Tricoche’s case and emphasized that investigations into both crimes remain ongoing, with the possibility of additional charges.

Tricoche was discovered Nov. 28 at the South Fork Edisto Boat Landing when a fisherman called 911 to report finding the body near the boat ramp, which sits along the 1000 block of New Holland Road in Aiken.

The post Aiken Man Found Dead Near Boat Ramp was Dumped There by Couple, Cops Say appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A sixth officer was arrested Tuesday as the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating 2022 video from an excessive-force incident in the jail.

Deputy Melissa Morello, 27, was charged with misdemeanor battery and felony violation of oath by a public officer. She surrendered Tuesday morning and was released after being booked into the same jail where she served.

Five other officers have been arrested since Friday, including Investigators Johnny Atkinson and Austin Birch, Cpl. Daniel D’Aversa, Deputy Dantavion Jones and retired jail Lt. John Whitaker. They are all free on bond.

A press release says Richmond County internal affairs officers were first made aware Thursday of a May 2022 incident between deputies and inmates.

“After the review of body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined that the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary,” a press release said.

However, an email shows the sheriff’s office was sent an edited version of the inmate assault in November. An agency spokesperson said that last week was the first time they received “any video that was complete and authenticated.”

On Tuesday night, WRDW-TV obtained a leaked copy of bodycam video from Deputy Morello that shows the chain of events before the excessive force was used. Jailers are seen arriving into the pod, which the inmates had apparently flooded by breaking sprinklers in protest of broken toilets.

While several inmates have their hands up in apparent surrender, the officers forced them from the second floor into the first floor to lay handcuffed in the pool of water. Inmate Naytrone Adams’ has his handcuffs taken off after a jailer says that he wants to fight. Deputy Johnny Atkinson immediately swings on the inmate and then proceeds to put Adams in a chokehold as other jailers watch.

The sheriff’s office declined to release the full video, saying it is considered evidence in a pending prosecution and exempt from disclosure.

Meanwhile, a LinkedIn page gives a background on Deputy Morello, saying she has worked for the sheriff’s office since October 2020.

“I have a huge passion for the Anti-Human Trafficking movement and helping women and men who are coming out of the life of prostitution,” Morello wrote on her profile. “I love my advocacy work and look forward to collaborating with others who have the same passion. I am willing to set up speaking engagements, and presentations on Trafficking, the trauma it causes and the aftercare of survivors. I like to also speak about the higher risks foster care children have to be targeted due to my work with foster care children.”

The post Sixth RCSO Deputy Arrested in Probe of 2022 Inmate Assault appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

A judge has sentenced a former office manager at Women’s Health of Augusta to prison for embezzling nearly $900,000.

Susan Thigpen, 63, was sentenced Monday to 17 years in prison for doubling her own salary while supervising the OBGYN office.

Superior Court Judge John Flythe sentenced Thigpen to 30 years with the first 17 to be served in prison, according to District Attorney Jared Williams. She was also ordered to pay $900,000 in restitution.

“My position on this is simple. White collar crime is still crime,” Williams said in a statement.

After Thigpen quit her job, months went by before new office employees realized the theft or noticed that the office manager was making $162,000 a year. Her crime unraveled with an investigation by computer forensic specialists with the GBI.

The probe climaxed in 2020 with a GBI search warrant at the suspect’s Dearing home and her subsequent arrest for computer forgery and theft by taking.

Thigpen was responsible for processing payroll and had access to the online portal with Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP). She deceitfully increased her salary without authorization, paying herself more between January 2014 and June 2019. She stole $893,000 more than she was authorized to take as salary, authorities said.

When news broke of her arrest, local reaction was quick, with Deana L. Dickey saying she was not surprised.

“[Thigpen] was crooked when I worked for her,” Dickey said. “And she was cruel to many of her employees and didn’t pay any of us well at all. Now I see why.”

Shannon Shealy added, “Greed will overtake and kill a man, or woman.”

Women’s Health of Augusta provides comprehensive Obstetrics & Gynecological Care for women of all ages. The office is located at 1303 D’Antignac Street in Augusta and has been providing care in the area for over 40 years.

The post Office Manager Sent to Prison for Embezzling $900K from Augusta OBGYN appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen joined sheriff’s investigators Friday in a brushy area off Gordon Highway and Highland Avenue following the discovery of a human skull.

The investigation began Friday afternoon when surveyors for a gas station made the find, according to witnesses. The coroner was called to the scene as investigators combed through the area.

Just after 4 p.m. the coroner said the discovery was limited to a skull, but they were searching for bones. Yellow crime scene tape was seen off the road as officers helped in the search.

Sheriff’s Investigator Walter McNeil released this statement about the investigation: “On Friday, February 9, 2024, at 11:02am, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2200 Block of Highland Ave in reference to a suspicious situation. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with a Land Survey Crew who advised they located possible skeletal remains in the wooded area where they were working.  Investigators are on scene and there is no additional information available at this time.”

Check back here for any updates on this developing story.

Skyler Andrews contributed to this report.

The post Human Skull Found Off Gordon Highway in Augusta appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Updated Feb. 12, 2024:

On Monday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division has charged Corporal Daniel D’Aversa and Deputy Dantavion Jones with one count of Battery (Misdemeanor) and Violation of Oath of a Public Officer (Felony) in connection with the 2022 excessive force incident that led to two investigators being charged last week.

They were booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Retired jail Lieutenant John Whitaker was also charged in this incident with one count of Aggravated Assault (Felony), one count of Battery (Misdemeanor) and Violation of Oath of a Public Officer. He was also booked into the jail.

D’Aversa began his employment with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on July 29, 2006, Jones began his employment on June 21, 2018. D’Aversa was most recently assigned to the jail.  Jones was assigned to the Road Patrol Division.  At the time of the incident, D’Aversa and Jones were both assigned to the Road Patrol Division. Their employment with RCSO was terminated Monday.

Original Story:

Two Richmond County investigators have been fired and arrested after the discovery of a 2022 excessive force incident in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

Johnny Atkinson, 45, was charged Friday with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Austin Birch, 27, was charged with battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Both have been booked into the jail and later terminated, the release said.

On Thursday, Richmond County internal affairs officers were first made aware of a May 2022 incident between deputies and inmates.

“After the review of body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined that the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary,” a press release said.

Atkinson began his RCSO employment in 2018 while Birch began in 2019. They were most recently assigned to the criminal investigations division. At the time of the 2022 incident, they were assigned to the road patrol division.

The post RCSO Investigators Arrested and Fired for 2022 Excessive Force on Inmates appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office successfully thwarted an organized crime ring’s attempt Friday to cash fraudulent checks at Lewiston Express in Grovetown.

Four people were arrested in a scheme that began when the manager of Lewiston Express, Kinjalkumar Patel, grew suspicious after cashing numerous checks from WW Siding, LLC. Upon contacting the owner of WW Siding, Wilfredo Calles, Patel learned that the checks were indeed fraudulent.

As Patel confronted the suspects inside the business, three Hispanic males hastily fled to their vehicles, prompting Patel to follow them into the parking lot. Amid the chaos, Patel fired a shot at one of the vehicles as it drove toward him, resulting in his being struck by the fleeing vehicle as it sped off onto Lewiston Road.

A deputy working in the vicinity heard the commotion and promptly alerted dispatch, leading to a rapid response from law enforcement, said Maj. Steve Morris with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Witnesses provided crucial information, allowing deputies to track down the suspects.

Four Hispanic males, identified as Jorge Eduardo Munoz-Quiroz, Pedro Luis Cueto, Raul Reyes, and another unidentified individual, were apprehended following a coordinated effort by law enforcement officers. The suspects, claiming to be from El Salvador and Colombia but residing in Houston, Texas, confessed to their involvement in the fraudulent check cashing scheme.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle yielded alarming discoveries, including a stolen handgun, Mexican passports, identifications under different names, and multiple fraudulent checks from WW Siding and other businesses. The operation, it was revealed, was meticulously planned by an organized crime ring intent on cashing as many fraudulent checks as possible and regrouping in Texas to divide the ill-gotten gains, Maj. Morris said.

Despite the swift apprehension of the suspects, one individual managed to evade capture, fleeing towards Columbia Road. Law enforcement authorities issued alerts for the outstanding suspects, leading to the eventual arrest of a fourth suspect spotted on I-20 later Saturday morning.

Warrants were issued for the suspects on charges including forgery in the fourth degree, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, and theft by receiving stolen property. All suspects were denied bond as the investigation continued.

The post Grovetown Crime Ring Foiled with Arrest of Foreign-Born Scammers appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen joined sheriff’s investigators Friday in a brushy area off Gordon Highway and Highland Avenue following the discovery of a human skull.

The investigation began Friday afternoon when surveyors for a gas station made the find, according to witnesses. The coroner was called to the scene as investigators combed through the area.

Just after 4 p.m. the coroner said the discovery was limited to a skull, but they were searching for bones. Yellow crime scene tape was seen off the road as officers helped in the search.

Sheriff’s Investigator Walter McNeil released this statement about the investigation: “On Friday, February 9, 2024, at 11:02am, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2200 Block of Highland Ave in reference to a suspicious situation. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with a Land Survey Crew who advised they located possible skeletal remains in the wooded area where they were working.  Investigators are on scene and there is no additional information available at this time.”

Check back here for any updates on this developing story.

Skyler Andrews contributed to this report.

The post Human Skull Found Off Gordon Highway in Augusta appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

Updated Feb. 12, 2024:

On Monday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division has charged Corporal Daniel D’Aversa and Deputy Dantavion Jones with one count of Battery (Misdemeanor) and Violation of Oath of a Public Officer (Felony) in connection with the 2022 excessive force incident that led to two investigators being charged last week.

They were booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Retired jail Lieutenant John Whitaker was also charged in this incident with one count of Aggravated Assault (Felony), one count of Battery (Misdemeanor) and Violation of Oath of a Public Officer. He was also booked into the jail.

D’Aversa began his employment with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on July 29, 2006, Jones began his employment on June 21, 2018. D’Aversa was most recently assigned to the jail.  Jones was assigned to the Road Patrol Division.  At the time of the incident, D’Aversa and Jones were both assigned to the Road Patrol Division. Their employment with RCSO was terminated Monday.

Original Story:

Two Richmond County investigators have been fired and arrested after the discovery of a 2022 excessive force incident in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

Johnny Atkinson, 45, was charged Friday with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Austin Birch, 27, was charged with battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Both have been booked into the jail and later terminated, the release said.

On Thursday, Richmond County internal affairs officers were first made aware of a May 2022 incident between deputies and inmates.

“After the review of body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined that the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary,” a press release said.

Atkinson began his RCSO employment in 2018 while Birch began in 2019. They were most recently assigned to the criminal investigations division. At the time of the 2022 incident, they were assigned to the road patrol division.

The post RCSO Investigators Arrested and Fired for 2022 Excessive Force on Inmates appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office successfully thwarted an organized crime ring’s attempt Friday to cash fraudulent checks at Lewiston Express in Grovetown.

Four people were arrested in a scheme that began when the manager of Lewiston Express, Kinjalkumar Patel, grew suspicious after cashing numerous checks from WW Siding, LLC. Upon contacting the owner of WW Siding, Wilfredo Calles, Patel learned that the checks were indeed fraudulent.

As Patel confronted the suspects inside the business, three Hispanic males hastily fled to their vehicles, prompting Patel to follow them into the parking lot. Amid the chaos, Patel fired a shot at one of the vehicles as it drove toward him, resulting in his being struck by the fleeing vehicle as it sped off onto Lewiston Road.

A deputy working in the vicinity heard the commotion and promptly alerted dispatch, leading to a rapid response from law enforcement, said Maj. Steve Morris with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Witnesses provided crucial information, allowing deputies to track down the suspects.

Four Hispanic males, identified as Jorge Eduardo Munoz-Quiroz, Pedro Luis Cueto, Raul Reyes, and another unidentified individual, were apprehended following a coordinated effort by law enforcement officers. The suspects, claiming to be from El Salvador and Colombia but residing in Houston, Texas, confessed to their involvement in the fraudulent check cashing scheme.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle yielded alarming discoveries, including a stolen handgun, Mexican passports, identifications under different names, and multiple fraudulent checks from WW Siding and other businesses. The operation, it was revealed, was meticulously planned by an organized crime ring intent on cashing as many fraudulent checks as possible and regrouping in Texas to divide the ill-gotten gains, Maj. Morris said.

Despite the swift apprehension of the suspects, one individual managed to evade capture, fleeing towards Columbia Road. Law enforcement authorities issued alerts for the outstanding suspects, leading to the eventual arrest of a fourth suspect spotted on I-20 later Saturday morning.

Warrants were issued for the suspects on charges including forgery in the fourth degree, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, and theft by receiving stolen property. All suspects were denied bond as the investigation continued.

The post Grovetown Crime Ring Foiled with Arrest of Foreign-Born Scammers appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

With the absence of any wanted flyer for the suspect in the killing of a pregnant Augusta woman and her unborn baby, her family has taken matters into their own hands.

In a week-old Facebook post, Bray Jackson shared an image of the man who has a pending murder warrant in last May’s killing of her sister, Shaneikwa Lafavor and unborn baby girl, Gorgeous Dior Lafavor.

That man is 44-year-old Shawn Antonio Walker. Warrants against the suspect accuse him of fatally shooting Lafavor and her unborn baby on East Taylor Street. The gunfire also injured a man and 11-year-old child.

Walker is wanted for murder, two counts of aggravated assault, weapon possession and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In her post, Bray Jackson asks, “How is he still on the run?”

At the time of the death, Richmond County authorities released few details about the shooting or a possible suspect. After arriving to a report of gunfire, “The female adult was deceased at the scene and the adult male was transported to the hospital in critical condition,” sheriff’s Sgt. Caleb Lee said in a press release. “The child, 11 years of age, was transported to the hospital for treatment, condition unknown.”

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office took out warrants on Walker four days after the killings, yet never announced that they had solved the crime. In the nine months since the death, no press release or wanted flyer has been issued.

That could explain why Bray Jackson posted an image of the suspect herself. She also begged people to share her post.

“All it take is a share to get his face out there. I want Justice for my sister,” she says with a purple heart emoji. “My sister was pregnant. This boy Shawn injured a 11 year old, a grown man & took an unborn!”

The post has gone viral, with over 600 shares since it was posted a week ago.

Bray Jackson is same woman who recounted in May how she heard about the death of her sister on social media. She also said she didn’t know what happened but thought Lafavor wasn’t the target.

“Why would someone even do that to her?” Jackson said through tears said last May. “I know my sister had a mouth, but why. I don’t even feel like she was the main target. I don’t even feel like the s**t was towards her. I feel like it was some other s**t, some other crazy a** s**t.”

Lafavor, 29, was a mother of a young girl and expecting another child. She was seven months pregnant. The victim also had at least one other child, a school-age daughter, who survived her.

On her Facebook page, Lafavor is described as a “digital creator” who is single and went to Laney High School. “I’m just a woman that’s trying to make it in this hard world,” Lafavor said in her online profile.

The suspect, Walker, is a convicted felon with a long list of convictions, including aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, simple battery and more. He also has a pending grand jury indictment for another aggravated assault from 2018, but those warrants have gone unserved for five years, leaving him free to continue his gun violence.

In the comment section of Bray Jackson’s plea for help in getting Shawn Walker in jail, friends challenged their audience to help in the hunt for Walker.

“If y’all know something please say something,” Shay Antley said. “If y’all really was Toya Lafavor’s friends, then prove it”.

The post Augusta Suspect Sought for Killing Pregnant Woman & Her Unborn Baby appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.

The desperate search for Augusta hairstylist Demon Parrish has ended in Aiken County, but the hunt for a potential suspect in his disappearance has not.

Richmond County authorities announced early Sunday that Parrish’s body was recovered on Saturday in Aiken County.

His body was found in a wooded area in the 3500 block of Silver Bluff Road near Atomic Road in Aiken, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables. The discovery was made around 6:05 p.m. Saturday by the property owner.

The sheriff’s office continues to look for 21-year-old Caleb White for questioning regarding the disappearance of Parrish, who was reported missing on Jan. 10. White was previously known to frequent the 1200 block of Augusta Avenue and the 200 block of East Telfair Street, authorities said.

White currently has an active felony warrant for theft by receiving stolen property. He is accused of stealing Parrish’s white 2020 Kia Optima, which was located in the Augusta University parking lot behind 1278 Augusta Avenue, which is where White was living.

The well-known hairdresser and content creator disappeared in a case that has bewildered the area and led to viral posts across the country. A missing-persons flyers offered a $10,000 reward on finding the victim.

Parrish, 31, was last seen on Mill Street and was last active on social media on Jan. 9.  Family members organized a search Jan. 12 around Antioich Baptist Church at Augusta Aveue and Florence Street.

An emotional prayer and candlelight vigil was also held to seek answers on his whereabouts.

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