SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After taking office, Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix addressed an Internal Affairs investigation conducted by the preceding administration that involved Jessica Kelley and Catherine Lewis, who remained employed by his office. The original complaint was filed by Lewis, who made numerous allegations of wrongdoing against Kelley, whose 2015 complaint against David […]
GBI completes Boynton investigation requested by GPD
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has completed its investigation into the April 15 incident in which Jessica Boynton, the wife of Griffin Police Department (GPD) Officer Matthew Boynton, allegedly attempted to commit suicide using her husband’s duty weapon. GPD Chief Mike Yates immediately requested the GBI investigation, and agents arrived […]
GBI report on Boynton investigation leaves some questions unanswered
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After thoroughly reviewing the GBI investigative case file on the April 15 Boynton incident, The GRIP conducted interviews with officials of the Griffin Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in an effort to clarify apparent inconsistencies. Following the April 15 incident, Griffin Police Department Officer Matthew Boynton, with the […]
SCSO denies requesting GBI leak investigation
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Following the Dec. 7 publication of an article citing the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office’s request for a GBI investigation regarding a confidential source that provided information to this newspaper, The GRIP learned the SCSO is denying having made that request. After speaking with GBI Region 2 Special Agent in Charge Fred […]
GBI declined Sheriff’s request to investigate, identify The GRIP’s confidential source
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has confirmed that the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 30 requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) conduct a criminal investigation to identify a confidential source who has provided information to this publication. Following the receipt of information from a confidential source, The GRIP has since Sept. 30 […]
Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit investigation raises questions
The GRIP received information from a confidential source alleging the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit in 2012 conducted an illegal operation involving the placement of a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker on a vehicle without court ordered authorization. The GRIP conducted an investigation based on that allegation and the following is the first […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: court order, GPS tracker, investigation, narcotics, search warrant, Sgt. John Corley, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, Special Operations Unit
County BoC to request Attorney General’s Office investigate Sheriff’s Office’s Open Records actions
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved by a 4-0 vote a motion to request an investigation by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office to determine whether the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office violated Georgia’s Open Records Act following its administrative Internal Affairs investigation of David Gibson, the former captain of […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Attorney General's Office, David Gibson, Griffin, investigation, Open Records Act, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
GBI arrest warrants detail criminal allegations against David Gibson
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The arrest warrants obtained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation against David Gibson, formerly the captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division, allege criminal wrongdoing dating back as early as 2008. Gibson was arrested by the GBI Sept. 10, when he turned himself in to the Spalding County […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: arrest, crime, David Gibson, GBI, Griffin, investigation, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff’s Office seized, obtained evidence from David Gibson’s personal cell phone without search warrant
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Grip has learned the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office did not obtain a search warrant prior to seizing, examining and collecting graphic pornographic photographs and text messages from a personal cell phone belonging to former Capt. David Gibson. The photos and messages – obtained in 2014 – were later used as […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: David Gibson, Griffin, Internal Affairs, investigation, search warrant, sexual harassment, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Spalding County Sheriff’s Office investigating armed robbery
STAFF REPORTS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an alleged armed robbery that occurred at 10:28 p.m. Monday, July 20, at the Dollar General located at 1523 Zebulon Road. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, an employee walked outside at that time and was confronted by a slim black male wearing black […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: armed robbery, crime, Griffin, investigation, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Wendell Beam, David Gibson served notice of lawsuit; $8 million in damages estimated
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Four employees of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office – Karen Law, Kimberly Barnett, Jessica Kelley and Misty Piper – have met a statutory requirement by serving legal notice of their intent to sue former SCSO employee David Gibson and Sheriff Wendell Beam, each in their individual and official capacities. Local officials […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: anti-litem, Griffin, Internal Affairs, investigation, lawsuit, sexual harassment, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Investigation substantiates long-term pattern of sexual harassment at Sheriff’s Office
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Publisher’s note: Through an Open Records request to Spalding County, The Grip obtained three months of emails from the accounts of Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, Capt. Tony Ranieri, of the SCSO Criminal Investigation Division, SCSO Records Clerk Amy Martin and Ruby King, Beam’s secretary. This request yielded the 66-page final […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Capt. David Gibson, Griffin, Internal Affairs, investigation, sexual harassment, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
The Grip obtains final report of SCSO Internal Affairs investigation of David Gibson
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Through a series of Open Records requests, The Grip has obtained substantial information, including the final report of the Internal Affairs investigation, of David Gibson, the former captain over the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division. A 27-year employee of the SCSO, Gibson retired in lieu of termination May 21 […]
Three suspects of Monday murder identified
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department has released the identities of three suspects in the Monday evening murder of 21-year-old Demarkis Willis, of 409 15th St. Investigators said numerous witnesses provided information which resulted in arrest warrants being obtained for Amahjea Williams, age 17, Cornelius Henderson, age 23 and Yohance Hines, age 18. […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Demarkis Willis, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, investigation, murder, spalding county, suspects
Shooting under investigation by Sheriff’s Office
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting, the victim of which reported the incident at Cole’s Corner on Highway 16. According to Sheriff Wendell Beam, little is known about the incident, including where the shooting occurred. “It’s really sketchy at this time,” Beam said. “All I can tell you […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Griffin, investigation, LifeFlight, shooting, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
The GRIP 