Albany homicide numbers mirror those of last year

ALBANY — With a shooting death last weekend at Legends Night Club and the death of a January shooting victim who finally succumbed to his wounds this week, Albany’s homicides total for 2018 almost precisely mirrors that of 2017.

So far, four homicides have occurred in the city since the beginning of the year, the exact same number as this time last year. However, the violence started earlier in 2018, with the first murder occurring a mere six days into the new year.

On Jan. 6, police were called to a residence on the 1200 block of West Second Ave., where 61-year old Jamerson Wingfield was stabbed, according to Albany Police Department reports, “at least 17 or 18 times with a screwdriver.”

Wingfield died seven days later, and Police arrested and charged 54-year-old Steve Kenneth Wallace (aka Big Steve) with murder.

According to an APD press release, “Prior to the incident, the victim and the suspect had been playing a game of dominoes.”

On Jan. 22, a macabre scene unfolded on the 2200 block of West Gordon Avenue when the owner of the Havmor convenience store, following a trail a blood across the store’s parking lot, the connecting street and an adjacent grassy lot, found the body of 57-year-old Walter Boone just inside the property’s tree line.

Boone’s body had been stripped naked, and his face was so badly injured that investigators could not initially identify him.

A review of the store’s surveillance video, according to Havmor owner Darshan Dave, showed a man dragging Boone’s body from the wrecked car they arrived in across the parking lot and into the trees. The suspect could be seen dropping Boone’s body repeatedly in the street, Dave said, and then, after dumping Boone in the woods, returned with the victim’s clothes, which he stashed in the Dumpster behind the store.

After a daylong investigation, APD spokeswoman Phyllis Banks confirmed late that same evening that police had a suspect in custody.

“After conducting and completing interviews with the person of interest taken into custody earlier this afternoon, the Albany Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit has charged 28-year-old Brandon Kentrell Harris with murder,” Banks said in an email on Jan. 22. “Detectives confirm that Harris is the person seen on surveillance video dragging the body of a 57-year-old male into a wooded area near the (Havmor) Food Store on West Gordon Avenue. The motive is still under investigation.”

The city’s third homicide this year occurred last Saturday at Legends Night Club on East Broad Avenue.

According to APD reports, “The preliminary investigation revealed security cleared Legends Night Club after an altercation occurred inside. As people were walking to their cars, an unknown person fired several shots, striking two people. A male victim was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A female victim arrived a short time later with a gunshot wound to the arm.”

Officials later identified the victim who died as 31-year-old Jack Carlton Williams III.

Two days later, Johnny Bernard Smith, 27, accompanied by his lawyer, turned himself in at the Law Enforcement Center. Smith was charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in connection to Williams’ death.

Later that same day, an accomplice to the crime also turned himself in.

“Twenty-three-year-old Justin Ellis has been charged with murder. Ellis was transported to the Dougherty County Jail at 4:45 p.m. for booking,” Banks said in an email Monday. “Ellis came in on his own to be interviewed by investigators at approximately 2:40 p.m. this afternoon.”

The fourth and only unsolved murder of 2018 was actually spawned from an incident that occurred on Jan. 13 when 16-year-old Anthony Dawson was shot on the 2200 block of South Jackson Street.

According to the Jan. 13 police report about the incident, “Anthony advised that they went to South Jackson Street to see about Gernard’s sister’s car. Gernard advised that someone hit the rental car that she was in. Anthony stated once they pulled up, someone started shooting. Once the shots were fired, Anthony stated that Gernard drove off. As Gernard was driving off, Anthony stated that he was then shot.”

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler confirmed Monday that Dawson had succumbed to his wounds and died.

“Mr. Dawson passed away this morning,” Fowler said Monday. “I pronounced him deceased at 9:48 a.m. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest back in January, had received treatment and returned home, where he went into cardiac arrest. I believe his death to be directly related to the wounds he received when he was shot, making this a homicide.”

According to APD officials, the investigation into Dawson’s shooting is active, and anyone with information is asked to call the Albany Police Department at (229) 431-2100 or Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS (8477).