July 1, 2022

The Georgia Office of Victim Services (GOVS) and the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office conducted the second Victim Impact Session this week. Crime victims were able to meet in person with State Board of Pardons and Paroles Chairman Terry Barnard and clemency staff to discuss the parole status of offenders in their cases and to provide information to the Board.

It is the second Victim Impact Session conducted. The first was in April in Hall County.

Victim Impact Sessions involve crime victims meeting with Parole Board Members.

“The Board is committed to meeting directly with registered crime victims as a ‘measure-component’ of an offender’s review for parole as we have done previously on a larger scale,” stated Chairman Barnard.

“We believe in making the Board Members available to meet with crime victims. By conducting these smaller sessions with crime victims, we can spend more time discussing each case with the victims. We travel to where these victims live and we are saving them the time and the expense of coming to us,” added Barnard.

Information provided by victims to the Board is added to the case files of offenders for the Parole Board Members to review at the time parole is considered.

The District Attorney in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit is Keith Higgins. The circuit comprises five counties: Appling, Camden, Glynn, Jeff Davis, and Wayne.

“Victims need a voice in the parole process and those who were able to meet with Parole Board officials were provided that opportunity. I applaud the Board for collaborating with our Victim Advocates Office to set up these meetings, to listen to these crime victims, and inform them about the parole status of the offenders,” stated DA Higgins.

“The meetings were important to the victims,” he added.

Parole Board Member David Herring met with victims in Gainesville in the first Victim Impact Session conducted with Northeastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Lee Darragh. The circuit includes Hall County and Dawson County.

Herring says the meetings are beneficial both to the Board and crime victims.

“It’s important that we have all available information regarding a case and the offender before we make parole decisions,” Herring states.

Chairman Barnard says the Parole Board remains committed to hearing from crime victims and including their voice in the decision-making process.

The Georgia Office of Victim Services represents registered crime victims of offenders who are incarcerated or under community supervision. GOVS is a division of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles and represents the Parole Board, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Community Supervision.

To learn more about the Georgia Office of Victim Services, and the Georgia Parole Board visit www.pap.georgia.gov or contact Steve Hayes in the communications office at 404-657-9450.

June 30, 2022

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Ramondria Jalone Johnson Jr., 30, of Brunswick, was convicted of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, following a jury trial which concluded on June 29, 2022.

The charges stem from the October 23, 2020, death of Alfred Hill, 27, also of Brunswick. During the evening of October 23, 2020, Hill, along with family and friends, were gathered in front of the Mercer-Altama Apartments on R Street in Brunswick, at a memorial service for an acquaintance. Hill was standing next to the passenger side door of his cousin’s SUV when he began to exchange words with the defendant, Ramondria Johnson Jr. After a few minutes, another one of Hill’s cousins heard Johnson say “I’ve got mine” and then pull a handgun and fire it three times. Hill was struck twice and another bullet struck the occupied SUV that they were standing by. One bullet entered Hill’s right shoulder and went down into his chest, hitting a lung and causing massive internal bleeding. The other struck him in the left leg. Hill immediately took off running down the street and collapsed in a yard across from GraceMore Nursing Home. Brunswick Police and emergency services arrived and attempted to provide aid to Hill, who was transported to Southeast Georgia Hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

Hill’s family and friends were initially unaware that he had been shot. Johnson was identified as the shooter by three of Hill’s family members, one of whom had confronted him for firing a gun by his vehicle, before Johnson fled the scene. A few hours after the shooting, Johnson turned himself in to the authorities. He declined to make a statement and no motive for the shooting was discovered.

The trial, presided over by Superior Court Judge Robert Guy, began on June 22, 2022 in Glynn County Superior Court, and members of the jury returned their guilty verdicts on June 29, 2022. According to Chief Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, “This is another case of senseless gun violence that is plaguing our country, our state, and Brunswick in particular, these days. In the past, people would get into a dispute and resolve their differences with a fist fight. Today, someone pulls out a gun and the consequences become tragic. Mr. Hill was the father of three children, who will now grow up without him in their lives. Our prayers are with his family and friends.”

Sentencing in this case is scheduled for July 21, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Glynn County Superior Court. Johnson faces a mandatory life in prison sentence for the murder conviction.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

15 June 2022

District Attorney (DA) Keith Higgins announces that Kegan B. Bennett, 40, Douglas L.
Wooten, 41, and Denver L. Wooten, 19, all from Hazlehurst, pled guilty to Felony Murder in the 2021
death of Marcos Ramirez, 55, also of Hazlehurst. Additionally, Verlyttia Raiford, 33, plead guilty to
Armed Robbery, and Denver Wooten pled guilty to the Aggravated Assault of Ramirez’ daughter,
Brittany Ramirez, 27. The pleas, which were made pursuant to plea agreements, were accepted in May
2022, in Jeff Davis County Superior Court.

The charges stem from the January 4, 2021, death of Marcos Ramirez, who was shot at his daughter
Brittany’s home on Mark Hall Drive in Hazlehurst. Doug Wooten, who had previously worked with
Marcos Ramirez, believed that Ramirez carried large sums of money and came up with a plan to rob
him. Wooten and his son, Denver Wooten, drove to Ramirez’ work location and followed him to what
they believed to be his home; however, the location turned out to be the home of his daughter,
Brittany, where she lived with her fiancé and their toddler son.

Doug and Denver Wooten left the Ramirez’ residence and went to the home of Doug’s girlfriend,
Verlyttia Raiford, where they obtained three firearms. Doug, Denver and Verlyttia took the firearms and
went and picked up Verlyttia’s cousin, Kegan Bennett. The four then went back to Brittany’s home on
Mark Hall Drive. The three men exited the vehicle armed with the firearms, wearing masks and carrying
zip ties. Verlyttia was instructed to stay in the area, and to pick them back up once the robbery was
completed.

As the three men approached the residence, Marcos Ramirez heard a dog barking and opened the door,
coming face to face with the three armed men. Ramirez fought the men and was ultimately killed by a
shotgun blast fired by Kegan Bennett. Shell casings found at the scene indicated that a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, which was carried by Doug Wooten, was also fired, but did not strike Ramirez.
Denver Wooten was carrying a revolver, which was also fired and did strike Ramirez. Denver Wooten
also pointed his revolver at Brittany Ramirez.

The investigation, conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s
Office, resulted in the co-defendants being apprehended within hours of the murder. In addition to incriminating statements by witnesses and confessions by the defendants, items of evidence, to include firearms, cell phones, zip ties and clothing were recovered and linked to the defendants.

According to Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Presley, who prosecuted the case, “We
offer our condolences to Mr. Ramirez’ family. Mr. Ramirez was just a regular man working hard and
living his life. After work one day, he went to visit his daughter and grandchild, and his life was cut short
by individuals who concocted a plan to rob him. Anytime a criminal brings a weapon to a crime, they
are just a trigger-pull away from it escalating to a murder, and, unfortunately, that is exactly what
happened in this case.”

Following acceptance of the guilty plea to Felony Murder in Jeff Davis County Superior Court, Judge
Stephen D. Kelley sentenced Kegan Bennett, Doug Wooten and Denver Wooten to life in prison with the
possibility of parole. Denver Wooten additionally pled guilty to the Aggravated Assault of Brittany
Ramirez, and was sentenced to 20 years to serve to run concurrent. Verlyttia Raiford pled guilty to
Armed Robbery, and received a sentence of 20 years serve 15 in prison, without parole.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District
Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

16 May 2022

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Robert Benjamin Brown, 37, of Jacksonville, FL, accepted a plea agreement in the 2014 deaths of two Jeff Davis County residents.

The charges stem from the May 15, 2014 deaths of Javonnie Mondrea Chambers, 35, and his mother, Mary Lee Chambers, 64, who were shot to death at their home in Hazlehurst, GA. Eyewitness testimony at the time revealed that two individuals shot the victims, and another individual drove the vehicle, a silver Dodge Charger, from which they fled the scene. Also present in the home at the time of the shooting was Mary Lee Chambers’ granddaughter and two minor children, ages 2 and 4.

The case was investigated by both the Hazlehurst Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The investigation revealed that Robert Benjamin Brown, then 30, and co-defendant Brandon Dante Hardaman, then 26, both of Jacksonville, FL, travelled to Jeff Davis County on May 15, 2014 in a silver Dodge Charger just prior to the murders. Brown had text messages and phone records that implicated him in the crime. Evidence and interviews showed that a third co-defendant, Gerald Wright, drove his two co-defendants from the scene following the shootings, wherein Mondrea Chambers was shot with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and his mother, Mary Lee, was killed by a .308 rifle round after the home was sprayed with .308 rounds by one of the co-defendants.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, Brown pled guilty to two counts of Voluntary Manslaughter, a lesser-included offense of the original charge of Felony Murder. Following entry of the guilty plea, on May 13, 2022, Brown was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane to 40 years, 20 years to serve in prison, with the remainder on probation. Brown, who was sentenced as a recidivist, will have to serve the full term of 20 years in prison. Following a jury trial in January 2022, co-defendant Gerald Wright was sentenced to Life without Parole for his part in the case. The case against Hardaman, a third co-defendant in the case, was placed on the dead docket.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

05 May 2022

District Attorney (DA) Keith Higgins announces the entry of a guilty plea in a child death case from Jeff Davis County.

On May 4, 2022, Jessica Lynn Gay, 25, from Hazlehurst, pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter, a felony, before Superior Court Judge Robert W. Guy, Jr. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 6, 2020 at her residence in Hazlehurst. On that date, Gay was bathing her 10-month-old son, Daltyn Hand. At the time, Gay was under the influence of buprenorphine and venlafaxine and was drowsy. Gay began running water into the bathtub. As she was running the water, Gay dozed off and did not awaken until her husband, Matthew Hand, ran into the bathroom. Though resuscitative efforts were performed, Daltyn died as a result of his drowning in the bathtub.

Following entry of the guilty plea, Judge Guy sentenced Gay to serve the maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, pursuant to a plea agreement between the State and the defendant. The charges of Felony Murder and Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree were dismissed. “Daltyn’s death is heartbreaking,” stated District Attorney Higgins. “Although Ms. Gay did not intend to harm Daltyn, she needed to be held responsible for the reckless behavior that caused her son’s death. It is my hope that this case will serve as a lesson to all of us that we must be vigilant and never do anything that places a child in harm’s way.”

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

14 April 2022

District Attorney (DA) Keith Higgins announces the results of two jury trials held this week in Camden County Superior Court.

Lloyd H. Campbell, 60, of St. Marys, was tried in Camden County Superior Court before Judge Robert W. Guy, Jr., on April 12, 2022. Campbell was charged with one count of Child Molestation and one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Aggravated Child Molestation. Following jury deliberations, Campbell was found guilty of both charges. During the trial, the State presented evidence that circa May 2020, Campbell’s wife observed her husband attempting to perform oral sex on their 8-year old minor grandchild. Campbell’s wife stopped him before he could complete the act. Evidence in the trial included testimony from lay witnesses and from an expert in forensic interviewing. Sentencing in this case has been scheduled for April 28, 2022.

Michael W. Henry, 52, of Yulee, FL, was tried in Camden County Superior Court before Judge Robert W. Guy, Jr., on April 13, 2022. Henry was charged with one count of Child Molestation. Following jury deliberations, Henry was found guilty of the lesser included offense of Sexual Battery on a Minor. During the trial, the State presented evidence that at an unknown time between July 2015 and July 2016, Henry touched the vaginal area of a minor child when she was approximately 8-years old. The child disclosed the illegal act several years later. Evidence in the trial included testimony from lay witnesses and from an expert in forensic interviewing. Judge Guy sentenced Henry to 5 years in prison.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

13 April 2022

District Attorney (DA) Keith Higgins announces the entry of guilty pleas in the 2021 shooting of Javier Cordova, 17, of Brunswick. The pleas were entered pursuant to a plea agreement that was resolved between the DA’s Office and the defendants. Before the plea offers were extended, DA Higgins talked with the lead investigator and Cordova’s family. On April 5, 2021, Bria Nicole Register,29, of Brunswick, pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Glynn County Superior Court. Her co-defendant, Michael Howard, 43, also of Brunswick, pled guilty to Tampering with Evidence. Other charges against Register, which include Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony were nolle prossed and will not be prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 16, 2021, when Cordova appeared, uninvited, at a cookout that was being held at the Coastal Crest Suites on Cypress Mill Road in Glynn County. No one at the cookout knew Cordova, who was intoxicated at the time. While at the cookout, Cordova tripped over a grill and knocked it over. While he was on the ground, Register saw that he had a handgun on his person, and she took it from him. After Register went to co-defendant Howard’s apartment in the same complex, Cordova came and banged on the door wanting to get his gun back. Cordova was led away from the apartment at least once by Howard, before returning again, banging on the door and asking for his gun. The last time he returned, Register was angry and she and Howard led Cordova to the side of Cypress Mill Road, where Register pistol-whipped Cordova. Register and Howard claimed that Register was acting in self-defense and further claimed that while Register was pistol-whipping Cordova, the gun accidentally fired. After the gun fired, Register and Howard left Cordova along the side of the road and did not call 911 to report the incident. Howard later returned to check on Cordova and saw he was dead. Cordova was shot once in the chest and died as a result of his wounds.

Following acceptance of the guilty plea to Voluntary Manslaughter in Glynn County Superior Court, Judge Stephen D. Kelley sentenced Register to 20 years, with the first 13 years in confinement and the remainder served on probation. For his plea of guilty to Tampering with Evidence, Judge Kelley sentenced Howard to 5 years probation, with 120-180 days to be served in a Probation Detention Center. The Glynn County Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.

DA Higgins said that, “After talking with the victim’s family and the lead investigator, I decided it was best to extend a plea offer that resulted in the defendants being found guilty. If we had gone to trial, the jury would have been required to consider rendering a verdict for voluntary manslaughter before it considered the felony murder charge, and we would have been required to disprove Register’s claim of self-defense. Under the circumstances, the only evidence that could be presented about the defendants’ interaction with the victim could have only come from the defendants.”

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

8 April 2022

District Attorney (DA) Keith Higgins announces the entry of guilty pleas in two vehicular homicide cases.

On April 8, 2022, Madisyn Anne Culpepper, 24, from Glynn County, pled guilty to Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree and Hit and Run, both felonies. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on February 3, 2019. On that date, Culpepper was at her brother’s residence on Lakes Drive in Brunswick for a Super Bowl party. Culpepper was consuming alcoholic beverages at the party and had been drinking earlier that day at a bar. Later that evening, Culpepper left the party and drove a vehicle east on Lakes Drive. While on Lakes Drive, Culpepper crossed into the westbound lane of travel and struck Jacob Butts, 15, of Brunswick, as he was skateboarding on that side of the road. Butts was slammed into the windshield of the vehicle, vaulted over it and came to rest in a ditch beside the road. Culpepper failed to stop after the crash and continued driving to Baumgardner Road and GA Hwy 520, where she was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. At the scene of the second collision, Culpepper was arrested and transported to Glynn County Detention Center where a breath test showed her blood alcohol concentration was 0.22. Butts died at the scene. The incident was investigated by both the Glynn County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team.

Following entry of the guilty plea, Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr. sentenced Culpepper to 15 years, 8 years to serve in prison, with the remainder to be served on probation for the Homicide by Vehicle charge and 5 years to serve in prison for the Hit and Run charge.
On the same date, Austin Blake Moore, 20, pled guilty to Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree and Serious Injury by Vehicle, both felonies. The charges stem from an incident that occurred during the early morning hours of May 12, 2019. At approximately 0230 hours, GCPD Officer Dumas was running stationary radar at US Hwy 520 and West Flanders Drive in Glynn County. Moore and another individual were racing their vehicles along that roadway, and the officer clocked the vehicle speeds at 103 mph in a 55 mph zone. The officer turned on his lights and siren to pursue the vehicles, and Moore attempted to flee, making a sharp turn onto Ratcliffe Road, ultimately hitting a wooden fence and crashing his vehicle. One of the vehicle passengers, Kylie Burgess, 14 years old, died at the scene, and the other passenger, Armen Jordan, then 18 years old, suffered multiple facial fractures and was airlifted to University of Florida-Shands hospital.

Following entry of the guilty plea, Judge Stephen D. Kelley sentenced Moore to 15 years, with 8 years to serve in prison and the remaining 7 years on probation for the Homicide by Vehicle charge. For the Serious Injury by Vehicle charge, Moore was sentenced to 15 years to be served concurrent with the first charge, 8 years to serve in prison, followed by 7 years probation.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

24 March 2022

Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins announces plans for the 2022  Crime Victims’ Rights Week ceremonies.  

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week was established in 1981 to provide an opportunity to raise  awareness of victims’ rights. This year, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be commemorated  during the week of April 24 – 30, 2022. District Attorney Higgins and the employees of the District  Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Assistance Program encourage our communities to embrace this year’s  theme: “Rights, Access, Equity, for all victims.” The theme underscores the importance of helping crime  survivors find their justice by: enforcing victim’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity  and inclusion for all. 

Originally established by President Ronald Reagan, the project has grown in its efforts to educate  communities about the effects of victimization and the need for services for those affected by crime. At  the time of the first Crime Victims Rights’ week, most states did not have legal rights formalized for  victims. Services were scant and mostly through word of mouth. Victims were not informed of court  proceedings and were largely left out of the criminal justice process. The Crime Victims Bill of Rights and  later, Marsy’s Law, better defined and legalized the rights of those victimized by crime. 

In remembrance of those victims from the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, a Memorial Wall will be displayed  at each county courthouse for the entire week. Families and friends are encouraged to visit the display  and sign the guestbook that will be on display along with the photos of loved ones lost. Each county will  also have a specialized program that is open to all community members, families and friends. 

The Wayne County program will be held on Monday, April 25th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Courtroom C  at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, located at 266 E. Walnut Street, Jesup, Georgia. 

The Camden County program will be held on Tuesday, April 26th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the  Camden County Courthouse located at 210 E. 4th Street, Woodbine, Georgia. 

The Appling County program will be held on Wednesday, April 27th from 6 pm to 7 pm at the Appling  County Public Safety Complex located at 560 Barnes St., Baxley, Georgia. 

The Jeff Davis County program will be held on Thursday, April 28th from 6 pm to 7 pm at the Jeff Davis  County Courthouse located at 14 Jeff Davis Street, Hazlehurst, Georgia. 

The Glynn County program will be held on Friday, April 29th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Glynn  County Courthouse located at 701 H Street, Brunswick, Georgia. 

For more information about victims’ rights and services, visit the Brunswick District Attorney’s Office  website at brunswickda.org. 

23 March 2022

District Attorney Keith Higgins announced today that he would not pursue a  criminal prosecution with regard to an incident between an officer with the Kingsland Police  Department and Gearil L. Williams.  

On August 23, 2020, at approximately 11:00 pm, Kingsland Police Department officers responded to a residence at Camden Way apartments in reference a 911 caller who had heard someone screaming. Upon arrival at the residence, the officers looked through a front window and saw a female sitting on a couch holding something to her face, and a male, later identified as Gearil L. Williams, sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. The officers identified themselves as police and instructed Mr. Williams to open the door. Mr. Williams refused, and moved to block the door, while the female was signaling to the officers to come in. While Mr.  Williams was attempting to block the door, the female ran towards the rear of the apartment to a back bedroom. As the officers attempted to kick in the front door to gain entry, Mr.  Williams ran toward the rear bedroom following the female. The officers heard the female screaming from the bedroom and attempted to enter; however, the door was blocked by Mr.  Williams.  

The officers ran outside to attempt to gain entry through the bedroom window and one ran back in the residence to continue to try to get in through the bedroom door. SGT George, one of the officers who ran outside, broke the bedroom window and observed Mr. Williams holding the female with his right arm around her neck/body and holding a knife in his left hand. SGT  George was telling Mr. Williams to drop the knife while the female continued screaming and  Mr. Williams was yelling to the officers to shoot him. When Mr. Williams made a downward motion with the knife toward the female, SGT George fired his weapon.  

DA Higgins met privately with members of the family and with select community leaders today to announce his decision. DA Higgins expressed his condolences, stating, “While any loss of life  is always tragic, the officer’s use of force in this instance was justified to protect a life.” 

In an effort to provide transparency on certain community-interest cases, the District  Attorney’s Office will provide access to a redacted version of the investigative case file for the public to access from the District Attorney’s Office website at www.brunswickda.org . The redacted investigative file will not contain any personal identifying information or graphic images. 

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District  Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.