Wednesday, February 25, 2004
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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 |
Lawsuit: $3000 theft leads to 2 murdersBy JOHN MUNFORD David O. Mangham died a gruesome death in his north Fayette home last April at the hand of a former high school chum, according to a wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by his parents. The suit, which is not a criminal complaint, claims William Edward Robbins of Jonesboro shot Mangham in the back of the head after Mangham confronted Robbins for stealing roughly $3,000 from a specially-built cabinet Mangham had placed under his kitchen sink. After he was shot, Mangham fell to the floor and Robbins fired a second shot into his head, the suit claims. The shooting took place in a bedroom where Mangham had gone to retrieve a handgun he kept for personal protection, the suit stated. Michael Fowler, a friend of Mangham’s who was working in a detached garage, soon appeared in the kitchen of the residence where Robbins shot him twice in the back of the head, killing him also, the suit claims. The two were found dead in Mangham’s home in the Princeton Chase subdivision off Ga. Highway 314 May 5. The complaint, filed in Clayton County Superior Court by Orris and Carrie Mangham, provides a number of details unearthed by Fayette County sheriff’s detectives during their investigation. No criminal charges have been filed to date. The family is seeking over $1 million in the suit, not including additional compensation for punitive damages and pain and suffering. The lawsuit allegations only represent one side of an issue and Robbins has yet to file an answer to the suit. No suspects have been charged in the shooting deaths of Mangham and Fowler. Detectives did make Robbins’ name public in July in an appeal for anyone with information on a Colt .45 handgun formerly owned by Robbins, who went to Forest Park High School with Mangham and Fowler. Prior to that, detectives excavated one of Robbins’ former residences in an attempt to find a bullet casing that might have been fired from that gun which could possibly tie him to the murder scene. Robbins and Mangham were friends until about 10 years ago when they had a falling out, police said. According to the lawsuit, Mangham had loaned Robbins $1,000 before the shooting took place, allegedly on April 23 after Mangham returned home from the Dunkin’ Donuts in Fayetteville. Mangham, the owner and operator of Georgia Topsoil Company, was 48 at the time of his death and was in “excellent health” according to the suit. Orris Mangham has also offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his son’s death.
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