Two murder suspects are in custody and another faces charges after his release from the hospital following Saturday night’s drug-related murder outside Bi-Lo in Augusta, authorities said.
Warrants have been filed against Ricardo Lavert Jones (from left), John Lee Scarboro, and Bartrell Griffin for the offenses of robbery by sudden snatching and felony murder. The photo of Griffin is a previous mugshot.
An off-duty deputy working a special assignment heard shots being fired near the Bi-Lo at Southgate Shopping Center about 10:20 p.m. Saturday and found the body of 35-year-old Michael Hanson outside the store.
The suspects were caught in a vehicle on Cook Road, and deputies realized Griffin had been shot. Sheriff’s Sgt. Glan Rahn said Sunday that he is not sure who shot Griffin, but he knows the injury was not self-inflicted.
Jones and Scarboro have been committed to the Richmond County Jail and Griffin will be committed after his release from the hospital for a non-life threatening gunshot wound sustained during the robbery.
Sgt. Rahn said he is not sure what item was “snatched” in the robbery, but he confirmed the incident appears drug-related. The victim was not a random stranger to the suspects, but he was in the parking lot by himself in an apparent meeting with the three suspects before being shot, the sergeant said.