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Father offers $10,000
reward for North Fayette murders
By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com
A $10,000 reward has been established
for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons who
killed north Fayette resident David O. Mangham and a friend of his in
May.
Mangham and Francis Michael Fowler of Hampton were found shot to death
in Mangham’s home in the Princeton Chase subdivision off Ga. Highway
314 North. Police now believe the motive was robbery, although they declined
to discuss whether Mangham was targeted or whether it was a random act.
The reward was posted by Mangham’s father, Orris, who lives in Cumming.
Detectives from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department briefed both
the Mangham and Fowler families on the evidence collected so far in the
case Tuesday afternoon, said Lt. Col. Bruce Jordan, the department’s
director of investigations.
Orris Mangham said he and his wife will consider filing a wrongful death
lawsuit now that they know all the evidence detectives have collected
in their investigation.
Although no one has been named a suspect, Jordan said detectives are still
looking for a Colt 45 gun formerly owned by Eddie Robbins III of Jonesboro.
It is believed that firearm could have been the murder weapon in the case.
Robbins, Mangham and Fowler all went to Forest Park High School together,
and Robbins and Mangham had a falling out dating back 10 years ago, Jordan
confirmed, again declining to go into detail.
“We are not naming him a suspect,” Jordan said, adding that
Robbins is a person of interest in the investigation. Detectives have
been unable to trace the weapon beyond it being in Robbins’ possession,
Jordan added.
Orris Mangham said he was very pleased with the progress of the investigation
and the efforts of the sheriff’s department.
“They’re doing a lot of work and spending a lot of money,”
Orris Mangham said. “I know they’re doing everything they can.”
Mangham also said he felt his son’s killer would eventually be brought
to justice one day. He credited his daughter for coming up with the idea
to offer a reward in the case.
Jordan insists the investigation has not stalled and leads are actively
being followed up on.
“We are by no means at a dead end,” Jordan said.
A grand jury compelled several persons to testify about the case at the
most recent grand jury session, but the new information gained by investigators
did not result in any arrests. Previously, investigators dug up the yard
of a former Riverdale residence Robbins used to live at, reportedly in
an attempt to find spent bullets because he was known for firing his weapon
in the air to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
If Orris Mangham chooses to file a wrongful death lawsuit, the civil action
will likely bear a much lighter burden of proof than required in a criminal
murder trial.
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