Wednesday, September 17, 2003
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Wednesday, September 17, 2003 |
Grand jurors hear testimony on double murder, but return no indictment in caseBy JOHN
MUNFORD
Detectives are still focusing on the possible role of a Jonesboro man in the double murder of David O. Mangham and Francis Michael Fowler at Mangham's home back in May. And several witnesses in the case were compelled to testify before a Fayette County Grand Jury last week, said Lt. Col. Bruce Jordan, director of investigations for the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. Some of the witnesses were uncooperative and one was caught in a lie, Jordan said. The grand jury has not, however, indicted anyone for the double homicide. "We did get some compelling testimony," Jordan said, adding that the investigation into the murder would continue. Jordan declined to go into any detail about the testimony received by the grand jury. Testimony given to grand juries is kept secret under Georgia law, and members of the grand jury were warned not to discuss the case with anyone else, Jordan said. "The content of their testimony is secret and cannot be divulged," Jordan said. Detectives are still focusing on Eddie Robbins, 48, who knew Mangham from high school, Jordan said. Mangham and Fowler were found shot to death May 5 in Mangham's home in the Princeton Chase subdivision off Ga. Highway 314 north. Both men had been shot to death in two separate rooms of the house. In July, detectives sought the public's assistance in locating a handgun Robbins owned. It is possible detectives wanted to examine the gun, a Colt .45 caliber pistol, model 1911, to determine if it could be linked to the shooting. "He probably knows where it's at," Jordan said at the time, adding that Robbins was not being named a suspect. "We are just looking for his gun." Previously, detectives dug up soil from his former Clayton County residence, in hopes of finding a bullet or other evidence that could possibly tie Robbins to the murder scene. Robbins reportedly had a habit of shooting his gun in the air to celebrate New Year's Eve. Detectives and trustees from the Fayette County Jail spent days combing through the soil looking for evidence, but detectives aren't commenting on what, if anything, was found. Jordan said he didn't want to release many details because doing so might jeopardize the investigation. All of the detectives at the sheriff's department were originally assigned to various parts of the case, but now just one detective is assigned full-time to the case, Det. Sgt. Tracey Carroll, Jordan said. Carroll is assisted by Det. Ethan Harper and Jordan.
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