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Murder victim’s parents win wrongful death suit

North Fayette man, friend shot by former high school pal, suit claimed

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com

No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the April 2003 killings of north Fayette resident David O. Mangham and his friend, Francis Michael Fowler of Ellenwood.

But Mangham’s family won some partial justice Wednesday morning when a Clayton County judge ruled in their favor in a wrongful death civil suit filed against William Edward “Eddie” Robbins of Jonesboro, one of Mangham’s former high school friends.

Robbins has not been charged with any crime in connection to the shooting deaths of Mangham and Fowler.

The suit, filed by David Mangham’s parents Orris and Carrie Mangham, claimed Robbins shot David Mangham in the back of the head after he confronted Robbins for stealing roughly $3,000 from a cabinet under the kitchen sink at Mangham’s residence.

After Mangham was shot, Robbins fired a second shot into his head, the suit claims.

The suit also alleged that Fowler, who was working in a detached garage at Mangham’s residence in the Princeton Chase subdivision, soon appeared in the kitchen where Robbins shot him twice in the back of the head, killing him also.

Attorneys for both sides were given 30 days to “work out” damages in the case or the judge will come up with a plan of his own, said Melvin Hewitt Jr., an Atlanta attorney who represented the Manghams.

Hewitt said he was somewhat disappointed with the victory, however. The Manghams wanted Robbins to answer questions related to the killings in the hopes more information could be uncovered and lead to criminal charges being filed, Hewitt said.

Instead, Robbins and his attorney declined to answer the list of questions filed by the Manghams, and they refused to submit to a deposition in the case, Hewitt added.

“I wanted to depose Eddie Robbins,” Hewitt said.

The Manghams hope Fayette County authorities will seek an indictment against Robbins “so a jury can decide whether he should be in jail or not,” Hewitt said. No criminal charges have been filed against Robbins, but his name came up during the investigation as sheriff’s detectives looked for information on a Colt .45-cal handgun Robbins used to own which could not be located.

Robbins went to Forest Park High School with Mangham and Fowler. 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.

David Mangham, the owner and operator of Georgia Topsoil Company, was in excellent health at the time of his death at age 48, according to the suit.

Robbins’ attorney in the case originally filed an answer with the court but the answer was later withdrawn, Hewitt noted.

Since Robbins didn’t submit to the deposition or answer the questions filed for the Manghams, it equates to Robbins admitting to the allegations of the complaint under Georgia’s civil practice law, Hewitt explained.

Hewitt also represented the parents of Beverley Watson in the wrongful death suit filed against her husband, Jim, who was later convicted of murdering her by a Fulton County jury. James Lamar Watson reported his wife disappeared from the couple’s east Fayette home; her remains were found over two years later in a wooded area in south Fulton County.