Augusta, GA
2 get life terms in separate Augusta murder cases
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta District Attorney Jared Williams announced life sentences for two killers this week – one for a gang member who shot a young man and another for the murderer of a gender-nonconforming local resident.
On Monday, a case set for trial resulted in a last-minute guilty plea.
The defendant, Ronald Harris, murdered John Scott Devore also known in the community as Scottlynn Devore.
The murder took place on March 12, 2020, and the defendant disposed of the body in Jefferson County, a vehicle in McDuffie County, and the victim’s phone in Richmond County.
“I had the time to uncover additional evidence and prepare the best case,” Waystack said. “That preparation led to this murderer spending the rest of his life in prison.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the indictment: malice murder, felony murder, burglary in the first degree and concealing the death of another.
He received a sentence of life plus 30 years concurrent.
The defendant’s wife, Margaret Elaine Harris, had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and concealing the death, receiving a sentence of 30 years, with the first 20 to be served in confinement.
Late Wednesday evening, a Richmond County jury returned a verdict against Jamarius Walker for the murder of Laney High School graduate Antonio Geter, 21.
Geter was shot in the 2500 block of San Sebastian Court in April 2020.
That year, a murder indictment was issued.
However, after a gang link was found, prosecutors to re-indict the case to add four criminal street gang terrorism charges.
Walker was found guilty of all 10 counts presented to the jury.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 20 years.
“This verdict signifies that our community stands with the District Attorney’s Office in the fight against dangerous gangs,” Williams said.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
GameStop to close 16 Georgia locations, including 1 in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Video game retailer GameStop is reportedly closing 16 stores in Georgia, including one Augusta location, as part of its “comprehensive store portfolio optimization.”
The store in Augusta is located in the Southpointe Plaza at 3209 Deans Bridge Road.
The retailer announced in an SEC filing that it plans to close “a significant number of additional stores in fiscal 2025.”
While an official list is not available, emails sent to customers and notices sent to employees indicate 16 stores in Georgia are on the chopping block.
All Georgia locations closing include:
- North Point Mall, 1198 North Point Circle, Alpharetta
- Lenox Square Mall, 3393 Peachtree Rd. NE Suite 2027, Atlanta
- Howell Mill, 1801 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta
- Southpointe Plaza, 3209 Deans Bridge Rd., Augusta
- Shops @ Main Street, 455 Cherokee Pl., Cartersville
- Chamblee Village, 1841 Chamblee-Tucker Rd., Chamblee
- Peachtree Mall, 3131 Manchester Expwy. #34B, Columbus
- Cumming Marketplace, 1060 Market Place Blvd., Cumming
- Dublin Commons, 2421 Hwy. 80 W, Dublin
- Hartwell Station, 115 Walmart Dr., Hartwell
- 4959 Bill Gardner Pkwy., Locust Grove
- McDonough Square, 1144 Hwy. 20-81, McDonough
- Pharrs Village, 1830 Scenic Hwy. N, Snellville
- Stone Mountain Festival, 1825 Rockbridge Rd., Stone Mountain
- Cofer Crossing, 4363 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker
GameStop’s board of directors recently approved $35 billion in performance-based stock options for CEO Ryan Cohen, should the company’s market cap hit $100 billion. The company’s market cap is $9.3 billion.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Finding Solutions: Augusta nurse opens new end-of-life care facility
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A hospice nurse is opening Augusta’s first inpatient hospice home, giving families a new option for end-of-life care.
Stacia Sirull, a hospice nurse, is opening the Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home. The facility will feature hummingbird decorations throughout.
“My sister passed away a couple of years ago. She died in a hospice house in Kentucky and loved humming birds. When I decided to do this I was like we are just going to put humming birds everywhere,” Sirull said.
Limited options for Augusta families
Augusta families facing end-of-life care currently have limited options. The new facility will serve as an alternative.
“There are many times when I hear I don’t want to die at home. I don’t want leave here and leave the memory of this with my family and don’t want to stay here, or the other way around I don’t want my family member to die at home and have to remember that they were here in this house,” Sirull said.
Sirull said the facility gives people a comfortable option in a homey environment.
“Our slogan is your life, your journey, your choice. The reason we wrote it that way is because I want people to be able to make their own choice at the end of life and have those choices be respected,” she said.
Family shares experience
Krista Weigle’s mother was on hospice in Augusta in 2018. Weigle said her mother began needing more care than she and her sister could provide. Her sister lives in Statesboro, where there is an inpatient hospice home.
“We just felt so blessed to find that place and felt very comfortable with her being there and when she passed we knew we had done the right thing,” Weigle said.

Facility details and community support
The Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home will have six rooms added to the existing building. Sirull said there will always be one bed available for someone who doesn’t have the finances or insurance to cover the stay.
“No one should die alone, no one should die without support in their last days and not just support, but compassionate support,” she said.
Sirull said the community can help by donating hospital beds, blankets, quilts, bedside tables, kitchen items including pots and pans, and personal care items including diapers, wipes and shampoo.
Weigle said she’s happy to know a place she once needed is coming to Augusta.
“My only worry is that it won’t be big enough and once word gets around and people see what need it fills, there will need to be more places like this,” she said.
The Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home is a nonprofit organization set to open May 1.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
FBI agents identify chemical used in Georgia acid attack
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The FBI agents have confirmed that they’ve identified the chemical used in a Georgia acid attack.
Just last month, Ashley Wasielewski was walking around Forsyth Park in Savannah when a man hiding in the shadows near Whitaker Street suddenly came out and attacked Wasielewski with an unknown chemical substance.
Sources close to the investigation say that liquid melted through Wasielewski’s clothing and headphones and left her with severe burns.
On Friday, the FBI released that they now know what that substance was but are not releasing the name of the substance to the public at this time.
FBI officials say that SLED assisted and did the testing on behalf of the the organization.

Agents are also following up on leads now that the substance has been identified.
Just days after the attack, more than $260,000 had been raised for Wasielewski, who was recovering at a burn center in Augusta.
One of Ashley’s friends, Kristen Oddi organized a GoFundMe to help pay for Wasielewski’s extensive medical care.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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