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.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.
Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.
Campaign priorities
Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.
“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”
Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta Prep student was arrested on a charge of terroristic threats over a picture of a LEGO gun he posted on social media.
It happened Wednesday, according to an incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Eric Hedinger, the principal of Augusta Preparatory Day School, told deputies a student had uploaded a picture to Snapchat of a “pistol” with the caption “shooting up the school so I don`t have to take the stats exam tomorrow. Don`t come yall!”
The principal said he spoke to the student and his father about the photo.
The principal also provided deputies with the student’s address in Grovetown.
A deputy went there and was told by the student that the “pistol” was a LEGO set that he had built.
He also said the comment he made was supposed to be a joke because he was not looking forward to taking his Advanced Placement statistics test this week.
The student showed the deputy the box that the LEGO set came in, and how the set was already disassembled.
The deputy also looked in the boy’s room to make sure he was not in possession of any weapons.
The mother advised that there was one firearm in the residence but it was locked up.
The deputy contacted Judge Leslie Morgan and she issued a warrant for terroristic threats.
The student, age 18, was taken into custody and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center.
News 12 is not reporting his name or publishing his photo since the LEGO gun could not have actually harmed anyone.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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