SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Lab on Thursday conducted an autopsy on Griffin City Court Judge Bill Johnston. According to Nelly Miles, director of the GBI Office of Public Affairs, preliminary autopsy findings indicate Johnston’s death was noncriminal. Miles said the Griffin Police Department initially requested GBI assistance in […]
GBI reports preliminary autopsy findings for Judge Bill Johnston
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: death, Department of Public Affairs Director Nelly Miles, GBI, Griffin, Griffin City Court, investigation, Judge Bill Johnston, spalding county
GBI investigating death of Griffin City Court Judge Bill Johnston
STAFF REPORT The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting an ongoing investigation into the death of Griffin City Court Judge Bill Johnston. According to GBI Director of the Office of Public Affairs Nelly Miles, Johnson, who was 53, was found deceased after having been reported missing. “On May 1, 2018, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Director of Public Affairs Nelly Miles, GBI, Griffin, Griffin City Court, investigation, Judge Bill Johnston, spalding county
GBI: Wendell Beam denied David Gibson used knowledge of infidelities as blackmail leverage
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: During its 2015 investigation of David Gibson, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, interviewed Wendell Beam, the former Spalding County Sheriff, in part seeking to determine if Gibson was blackmailing Beam using sexual infidelity as leverage. In records maintained by GBI Special Agent Jared Coleman, he wrote, “Agent Coleman asked Sheriff Beam […]
Filed Under: Government, Top Stories Tagged With: blackmail, crime, David Gibson, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, infidelities, investigation, leverage, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, Wendell Beam
Dix says there will be no investigation of Beam, narcotics tracker operation
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix has weighed in on a proffer agreement that was part of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation of David Gibson. The GBI refused to release those specific records, but The GRIP obtained the proffer through the email account of former Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard. […]
Spalding Clerk of Court agrees to retire Dec. 31; will face no further legal action
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Spalding County Clerk of Court Marcia Norris, who was on Dec. 14 suspended for 60 days by Governor Nathan Deal, will retire from office Dec. 31. Norris’s retirement is part of a settlement agreement reached by the beleaguered constitutional officer and Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker. It was signed […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Ben Coker, Clerk of Court, executive order, Governor Nathan Deal, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit, investigation, Marcia Norris, spalding county, suspension
BREAKING NEWS: Governor suspends Spalding Clerk of Court Marcia Norris
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has issued an executive order announcing the 60-day suspension of Spalding County Clerk of Court Marcia Norris. According to Deal, Norris willfully failed to fulfill her duties, therefore committing misconduct in office. Deal on Aug. 30 issued an executive order appointing members to a committee with the […]
District Attorney, GBI emails detail possible crimes at SCSO
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: During the Georgia Bureau of Investigation case involving David Wayne Gibson, formerly the captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division, discussions of allegations of other criminal activities were held involving Gibson, his attorney, Larkin Lee, then Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard and GBI Special Agents Jared […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: David Wayne Gibson, district attorney, GBI, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit, investigation, Larkin Lee, plea bargain, proffer, Scott Ballard, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, Wendell Beam
Sheriff: Man killed in officer involved shooting was armed in back of his residence
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A Spalding County man, Guy Lynn Scott Jr., age 48, was shot and killed at his residence Wednesday night by a deputy of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. Scott was previously employed by Spalding County, having worked between the Correctional Institution and the Detention Center from approximately 1991 to 2000. He […]
GPD officer forfeited appeal of disciplinary action
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After reporting on the Griffin Police Department’s Internal Affairs administrative investigation of Curtis Keys and Dwayne Hancock, which resulted in both officers being demoted one rank, and Keys being the subject of a GBI criminal investigation, The GRIP was alerted that pertinent information had been omitted. The GRIP then notified the […]
GPD: Chief’s IA investigation concludes Keys, Hancock falsified multiple records, violated oath of office
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A Griffin Police Department Internal Affairs investigation of Curtis Keys and Dwayne Hancock substantiated both officers falsified multiple official records and violated their oath of office pertaining to the agency’s Off Duty/Extra Duty Job Policy. This information was obtained subsequent to an Open Records request submitted to the city of Griffin […]
Police: Home invasion, murder appear to be drug-related
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department is reporting an apparent home invasion has resulted in the death of a Griffin man. Authorities are not yet releasing the victim’s identity pending notification of his next of kin. “We’re having some difficulty with that,” Yates said. According to GPD Chief Mike Yates, the incident occurred […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chief Mike Yates, crime, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, home invasion, investigation, murder, spalding county
BREAKING NEWS: GPD investigating homicide, “likely” home invasion
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has confirmed the Griffin Police Department is actively investigating a murder. GPD Chief Mike Yates was contacted after The GRIP received information that the murder had occurred during the commission of a home invasion. Yates confirmed the homicide and said “home invasion likely.” The GRIP is actively following this case […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chief Mike Yates, crime, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, home invasion, investigation, murder, spalding county
GPD confirms second officer under investigation
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has confirmed that Sgt. Dwayne Hancock, of the Griffin Police Department, is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation. This follows a report two days ago that Lt. Curtis Keys is under formal investigation. Upon receiving information pertaining to this investigation, an Open Records request was submitted to the […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Internal Affairs, investigation, Open Records Act, Sgt. Dwayne Hancock, spalding county, transparency in government
Sheriff: 34-year-old cold case reopened and under active investigation
STAFF REPORT ::: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), in cooperation with Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker’s Office, have reopened the investigation in to the 34-year-old cold case murder of Timothy Coggins. Timothy Coggins’ body was found on a power line off Minter Road in Sunnyside […]
Man’s body located in field will be sent to crime lab for autopsy
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Authorities are investigating a death reported when a body was located Friday night in a grassy area near the Griffin Crossroads shopping center. According to Spalding County Coroner Sonny Foster, the man has not been identified. “He was found over there behind Brian’s, between Brian’s and the theater, we found a gentleman […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: autopsy, Chief Mike Yates, Coroner Sonny Foster, Crime Lab, death, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, investigation, spalding county
