Jury finds suspect guilty in Newton murder case

NEWTON — Ulysses Blackshear Jr. was found guilty of murder last week in connection with the 2013 death of William Land of Newton.

A Baker County Superior Court jury delivered guilty verdicts on one count of malice murder, three counts of felony murder, one count of robbery, one count of aggravated assault and one count of burglary in the first degree.

Blackshear was in jail in Dougherty County on a probation violation when initial charges of felony murder and robbery were filed in September 2013, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The GBI stated in 2013 that Land’s body was discovered at his residence at 241 Clearlake Road in Baker County during a wellness check, after which Police Chief Jesse Rivers requested that the GBI provide assistance with the investigation.

Following an initial examination, Baker County Coroner Andy Belinc confirmed that Land apparently suffered from blunt trauma injures to the head just preceding his death.

Court officials say no date for sentencing has been set.