Search continues for Screven County suspect on the run
NEWINGTON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Screven County deputies are working with other agencies to find a man wanted for murder after a shooting Monday afternoon.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says agents are investigating the death of Isaiah Barbee, Jr., 21, of Sylvania, at the request of the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.
Demarion Quinton Butler, 19, is a person of interest in the shooting, according to the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say they have issued warrants for Demarion Quinton Butler, 19, in the murder of Barbee, and they were still searching the area on Tuesday afternoon.
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Clint Williams, with the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, says the GBI determined that these two men were not strangers.
“They were known to each other before this to the best of our knowledge,” said Williams.
Agents say the shooting happened around 12:55 p.m. on Simpsontown Road on Monday.
The GBI says when deputies arrived, they discovered Barbee with a gunshot wound.
Barbee was taken to a hospital, where he as pronounced dead, according to authorities.
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An autopsy will be performed at the GBI Crime Lab in Pooler.
Residents in the small community of Newington have been on high alert the past 24 hours as a man wanted for murder is still on the loose.
“It’s a small community of Screven County and they just need to know that everybody is doing everything they can to bring peace and settle this back down a little bit,” said one community member.
Williams says Mondays thunderstorms delayed the search.
The Screven County Sheriff’s Office says they are actively searching Simpsontown Road near Red Field Road for Butler.
Real ID deadline is one month away
Those with travel plans are urged to act soon to prevent delays or other travel issues.
“We had several dogs out yesterday. Probably 14 or 15 from all these agencies and it went into the night and then the weather got bad, and we had to pull back a little but last night when the weather got bad, but the search has not stopped,” said Williams.
Now, the community of Newington is waiting for any word from Screven County deputies.
“All of our personnel are out today working hard on it. We certainly want to see Mr. Butler as soon as possible to be able to speak with him and so our residents in that area can relax a little bit. We understand that it is a very stressful time for them as well,” said Williams.
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Williams says the sheriff’s office will post on their Facebook page as soon as any new update on the search can be announced to the community.
They ask anyone in the area to secure your homes and call the sheriff’s office with any suspicious individuals.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Screven County Sheriff’s Office at 912-564-2013, or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Statesboro at 912-871-1121.
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