Augusta, GA

2020 Augusta barbershop double slaying suspects found guilty

Published

7 months ago

May 24, 2024

2020 Augusta barbershop double slaying suspects found guilty

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The District Attorney’s Major Crimes Division announces the guilty verdict in the November 2020 Eve Street barber shop double murder.

Kazarie Middleton, 21, of Augusta, and Cortez Berry, 27, of Augusta, have been found guilty on all counts, to include malice and felony murder, according to the district attorney’s office.

The third co-defendant, Marquise Harris, is set to plead guilty, officials say.

The men will be sentenced Friday, May 31 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Amanda Heath. The minimum sentence on Murder is Life Imprisonment.

Officials also say the case was tried by Assistant District Attorney Justin Mullis of the Special Victims Unit. He was assisted at trial by co-counsel ADA Dre’Kevius Huff.

Support for the victims’ families was provided by Victim Advocate Shelly Blaisdell. The week-long trial ended moments ago with the jury’s decisive verdict.

Meguel Freeman, of Augusta, was 48 years of age. Wyman Scott, of Augusta, was 34 years of age.

They deserved better than the senseless violence that claimed their lives. Their families deserved better. Our community deserves better. Your District Attorney’s Office will continue fighting to make this a safer place to call home,” District Attorney Jared Williams says.

A third suspect has been arrested in the Nov. 23 shooting deaths of two men at a barbershop in a crime that rocked Augusta’s Harrisburg neighborhood.

Cortez Bernard Berry was arrested Wednesday, according to Richmond County jail records.

He faces two counts of murder, a count of possession of a firearm or knife during a crime, criminal attempt and parole violation.

Two suspects had already been arrested in connection with the slayings at Johnson’s Beauty & Barber Salon, 706 Eve St.

The slayings left the community in mourning and served as wake-up call to a deadly crime wave across the CSRA.

The big break in the Augusta case came in mid-December, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. That’s when investigators learned the identities of three suspects.

Cortez Berry(WRDW)

Investigators arrested and charged Marquise Harris and Kazarie Middleton, both 18-year-old Augusta residents, with two counts of murder, criminal attempted armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, according to the sheriff’s agency.

A third suspect — Berry — remained at-large until Wednesday.

The bodies of the victims, Meguel D. Freeman, 48, and Wyman K. Scott, 34, both of Augusta, were found at the barbershop by a customer, who contacted authorities at 2:18 p.m. Nov. 23.

Freeman was a barber there, and Wyman was a customer.

In the same week, authorities have breaks in a double murder at an Augusta barbershop and two slayings across the river.

Neighbors took the shooting hard.

“It could have been any one of us around here. It’s getting dangerous out here, especially in this neighborhood,” next-door neighbor Claude told News 12 in the days after the slaying.

It was one of the most shocking in a string of deadly crimes across the region that claimed at least seven lives and lasted into early December.

Those crimes included the late November slaying of a North Augusta man at the Seventh Lounge in Aiken and the fatal shooting of a 77-year-old in Barnwell County.

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Augusta, GA

Community foundation enters new phase of disaster grant process

Published

5 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Community foundation enters new phase of disaster grant process

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Community Foundation for the CSRA is pleased says it’s entering a new phase of its Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund granting process.

Since the storm’s aftermath, the Foundation has granted $2,803,500 to nonprofits that have worked on the front lines providing critical services and administering aid.

This phase of granting will continue to fund in 20 counties, in both Georgia and South Carolina, that were impacted by Hurricane Helene.

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The foundation will expand its granting parameters to include not just 501(c)3 nonprofits, but also churches, civic organizations, and schools who have been or will be providing direct services to Helene impacted individuals.

Shell Berry, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for the central Savannah River Area, said:

The foundation has developed five grant categories: Relief Reimbursement, Lost Revenue, Increased Operating Costs, Infrastructure Needs for Public Lands, and Long-term Recovery Programming. These categories aim to provide comprehensive support for affected communities and organizations.

The foundation has also recruited a volunteer grant panel that is made up of individuals who represent many of the counties we fund.

Working with the staff of the foundation, this volunteer panel will ensure that funding decisions reflect the needs and perspective of the communities we serve.

Their insights will be invaluable in evaluating applications and making final funding decisions.

For more information about this new granting process, please visit the Community Foundation’s website, ww.cfcsra.org. To contribute to the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund, visit www.cfcsra.org.

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Augusta, GA

Time is running out to donate to the Red Kettle Campaign

Published

13 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Time is running out to donate to the Red Kettle Campaign

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Salvation Army is seeking the community’s help in reaching its $235,000 goal for this year’s Red Kettle Campaign.

With just a few days left of bell ringing, the Salvation Army of Augusta is $50,000 short of its goal.

The Salvation Army says the final days are crucial to closing the gap.

Funds raised through the campaign are essential to supporting programs that serve the community year-round, including the Center of Hope. An average of 80 individuals find shelter nightly and 200 meals are served daily at the Center of Hope.

“The Red Kettle Campaign is vital to our ability to help those in need throughout the year,” said Area Commander of the Salvation Army of Augusta Jonathan Raymer.

The Salvation Army urges everyone to stop by a red kettle location or donate online. Every contribution fuels the organization’s ability to provide shelter, meals, and hope to individuals and families in need.

“We are calling on our community to help us bridge the gap in these final days. Together, we can make a difference for those who rely on our services,” said Raymer.

Red Kettles can be found at Bass Pro, Belk, Food Lion, Hobby Lobby, Kroger, Sam’s Club and Walmart locations in Augusta, Evans, Grovetown, Hephzibah, North Augusta, Thomson and Waynesboro.

Donations can also be made online at donateaugusta.com.

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Augusta, GA

BYU relying on depth entering matchup vs. Florida A&M

Published

21 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

BYU relying on depth entering matchup vs. Florida A&M | NCAA | wfxg.com

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