February 14, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Timmy Wallace Stafford, 58, of Brunswick, pled guilty to Entering an Automobile (2 counts), Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Theft by Taking – Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon, pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea entered in Glynn County Superior Court on February 13, 2023.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred during the early evening hours of February 20, 2021, when Glynn County Police were called to Ole Times Country Buffett on Scranton Road in Brunswick because a man, later identified as defendant Timmy Stafford, was attempting to enter automobiles in the parking lot by pulling on door handles. The officers were told that the man had taken something out of a gold SUV and then entered a white vehicle. Responding officers attempted to make contact with the man (Stafford), who was driving a white Chevrolet Cruze later identified as belonging to his mother. When the officers activated their emergency lights and siren to stop the vehicle, Stafford accelerated, exited the parking lot and fled from the officers. Stafford attempted to elude officers by running stop signals and driving on the wrong side of the road, and eventually ended up in the Winn-Dixie parking lot off of Perry Lane Road, where he jumped out of the car while it was still moving and ran into the wooded area towards Turtle Creek. Officers were able to safely stop the vehicle Stafford was driving, but could not locate Stafford at that time.

A search of the vehicle abandoned by Stafford yielded a purse and several wallets, one of which belonged to the individual whose SUV was entered into earlier in the Ole Times parking lot. Later that evening, around 10:45pm, another citizen who lived near Turtle Creek reported that his Honda Accord was stolen and his Ford Ranger was entered and a handgun stolen. This incident was captured on video surveillance. A few hours later, around 1:00am (on February 21st), police were called to Brandenberry Road in Brunswick following a citizen’s report that someone was on her property trying to enter her two vehicles. This incident was also captured on video. Shortly thereafter, officers observed Stafford, who fled at a high rate of speed in the stolen Honda Accord and wrecked the vehicle. Stafford was subsequently arrested and the property stolen earlier was recovered. Stafford was found to have 12 prior felony convictions, for mostly theft-related offenses.

On February 13, 2023, Stafford pled guilty to Entering an Automobile (2 counts), Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Theft by Taking – Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon. Glynn County Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr., sentenced Stafford to a total of twelve (12) years to serve in the Department of Corrections followed by 5 years’ probation.

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

February 14, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Anthony Lamar King, 19, of Ludowici, GA, and Destiny Nicole Stevens, 20, of Brunswick, pled guilty to Aggravated Assault, pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea entered in Glynn County Superior Court on August 8, 2022. Sentencing in this case was deferred until February 13, 2023.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on October 24, 2021, at approximately 1:00pm, when Brunswick Police Department officers responded to a shooting at Brooklyn Homes in Brunswick, where the victim of the shooting, Jeramiah Hicks, 19, was shot 5 times. The day before the shooting, Hicks and the mother of his child were involved in a domestic dispute where both were arrested. Following the arrest, his child’s mother told her ex-girlfriend, Destiny Stevens, about the domestic dispute, and Stevens then told her brother, Anthony King. On the day of the shooting, Stevens drove King and a juvenile co-defendant to Hicks’ residence in Brooklyn Homes. King and the juvenile went to the front door looking for Hicks, but he was not home at the time. They waited for Hicks to return and when he arrived at the residence, King and the juvenile co-defendant chased him and King fired a handgun at Hicks shooting him 5 times before he collapsed. Stevens then picked up King and the juvenile and drove away from the area. The shooting was captured on Brooklyn Homes surveillance video.

On August 8, 2022, King pled guilty to Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, and Stevens pled guilty to Aggravated Assault. On February 13, 2023, Glynn County Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr., sentenced King to 20 years to serve in the Department of Correction for the Aggravated Assault and 5 years’ probation for the Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, to run consecutive to the Aggravated Assault sentence. Stevens was sentenced to 20 years to serve 7 years in the Department of Correction. The juvenile co-defendant’s case is pending disposition within the next few weeks.

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

February 4th, 2023

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

January 26, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that William Edward Best, 39, of Brunswick, pled guilty to the crime of Felony Murder, pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea entered in Glynn County Superior Court on January 25, 2023. Sentencing in this case will be deferred until February 13, 2023.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on December 23, 2020. At approximately 5:30 am, Brunswick Police and Fire Departments responded to a house fire at 1909 G Street in Brunswick. After the fire was extinguished, the body of 63-year old Lula Mae McDougler was found in the debris. An autopsy determined her cause of death to be smoke and soot inhalation; however, she had also suffered blunt head trauma due to an assault, as well as burns from the fire. The Brunswick Fire Department Fire Inspector determined the fire to have been an arson, with three different areas of origin for the fire.

The defendant, William Edward Best, 39, of Brunswick, who is also McDougler’s nephew, was immediately identified as a suspect in her murder. Earlier that morning, around 4 am, the two had gotten into a heated argument at another residence where a family member had to intervene to keep Best separated from his aunt.

Best came to the Brunswick Police Department later that day to be interviewed and investigators noticed blood on his shoes. That blood was later tested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab and was determined to be McDougler’s blood. Additionally, the victim’s blood was found on another item of his clothing. During questioning, investigators had Best remove his clothing to be taken as evidence and he made spontaneous statements that he had “killed the b—-, I killed her, I killed her.” All of this was recorded on video.

The case was scheduled for trial on February 13, 2023, however, the defendant entered a guilty plea on January 25th, to Felony Murder. He will be sentenced on February 13th to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Sentencing was deferred so that family members of McDougler could be present for sentencing and have the opportunity to address the Court.

In Georgia, life with the possibility of parole means that a person must serve 30-years before becoming eligible for parole. Eligibility does not mean a person is guaranteed parole.

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

January 23, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that John Michael Alba, 29, of Waverly, pled guilty to the crimes of Kidnapping a Child under the Age of Fourteen Years, Theft by Taking a Motor Vehicle and Obstruction of an Officer, pursuant to a non-negotiated guilty plea entered in Glynn County Superior Court in 2022. Sentencing in this case was deferred until January 23, 2023.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 16, 2021, when a woman parked her car at the Friendly Express at Highway 82 and Blythe Island Hwy, and ran into the store for a few minutes. She had left her two year old child inside. Store video showed that Alba rode up to the store on his bike, got in the vehicle and drove off with the child still inside. A search by police began and the stolen vehicle was spotted by Camden County deputies on Highway 17. A vehicle chase ensued and the defendant ended up wrecking the vehicle in a ditch. The child was uninjured. While attempting to detain the defendant, he bit one of the officers before he was tased and handcuffed and taken into custody. When questioned by police, Alba admitted taking the vehicle but denied knowing the child was inside. It was 43 minutes between the time the defendant took the vehicle and child, and the time they were recovered.

Alba appeared before Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr. in Glynn County Superior Court on January 23, 2023, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by probation for life. Under Georgia law, Alba will have to serve every day of the 15 year prison sentence.

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

January 17, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Bruce Christopher Stephens, 29, of Brunswick, was found guilty of Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, following a criminal jury trial that took place on January 12-13, 2023 in Glynn County Superior Court.

The evidence presented at trial showed that on the evening of July 29, 2021, a fight broke out between three females in the front yard of 3608 Burroughs Avenue, in Brunswick. The fight was over a man that one of the women was dating and another had previously been involved with. During the course of the altercation, the victim, Justavian Lavar Simmons, 23, who lived across the street, along with members of his family and other neighbors, stepped outside to watch. Justavian began to film the fight on his phone, but also tried to break it up. It was then that defendant, the brother of one of the participants in the fight, stepped outside and fired four shots from a 9mm handgun. As everyone fled, Justavian was hit in the stomach and suffered devastating injuries. He was airlifted to UF Shands and had to have his intestines removed. He has spent most of his days since that night in hospitals. His only hope is to receive an intestinal transplant. Because he is still in a hospital and unable to leave, Justavian did not testify; however, the video of the fight was shown at trial. While it did not show the defendant shooting, it does capture the sound of the gunshots and the phone falling to the ground as Justavian ran.

When interviewed by Glynn County police, who investigated the shooting, the defendant denied shooting a gun that night and said he arrived on scene after the shots were fired. During trial, however, the defendant testified that he in fact shot because his sister was being attacked. On cross examination, the defendant acknowledged that he only took two seconds to assess the situation before opening fire. He also testified that the first two shots were warning shots to break up the fight and that the second two were to get people off of his property. He agreed that after the first two shots, Justavian, who he wrongly believed was involved in the fight, was running away and must have crossed into the path of the bullets. The defendant, a convicted felon, could not explain how he came into possession of the handgun.

According to Chief Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush, who prosecuted the case at trial, “The facts of this case are particularly tragic. Justavian was in the wrong place at the wrong time. While one can understand the defendant wanting to defend his sister, his actions were completely unreasonable and the force used excessive. You can’t bring a gun to a fist fight. The defendant took no time to assess the situation before opening fire. It wasn’t a matter of life and death for his sister. Our prayers are with Justavian, his child and the rest of his family that he can get the intestinal transplant he needs.”

The jury trial was presided over by Judge Stephen D. Kelley, and sentencing will be scheduled for a later date. Stephens faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison.

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

January 12, 2023

On January 11, 2023, the Camden County Grand Jury returned a True Bill of Indictment against Camden County Sheriff’s Deputy Christine Newman for the offenses of Aggravated Assault, Simple Battery, Making a False Statement and three counts of Violation of Oath by Public Officer. The charges stem from a traffic stop of Ms. Charis Faria by Deputy Newman on January 16, 2022.

On September 6, 2022, Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conduct an investigation into the allegations after the District Attorney’s Office became aware of the incident. The results of the investigation were turned over to the District Attorney’s Office for review, and the case was presented to the Camden County Grand Jury on January 11, 2023.

Following the unsealing of the indictment, a first arrest bench warrant was obtained for Deputy Newman, and she turned herself in to the Camden County Jail. A bond in the amount of $10,000 was set by agreement of the District Attorney’s Office.

DA Higgins stated “I take allegations of public misconduct seriously, which is why the GBI was called in to investigate these allegations. Upon review of the completed investigation, I determined that charges needed to be brought before the Grand Jury.”

Aggravated Assault is a felony with a possible punishment of 1 to 20 years in prison. Simple Battery is a misdemeanor with a possible punishment of up to 12 months in jail. Making a False Statement is a felony with a possible punishment of 1 to 5 years in prison. Violation of Oath by Public Officer is a felony with a possible punishment of 1 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.