Skip to content

GBI Lakeland Murder Investigation has brought 6th Arrest in Case

|

 

By Carol A. Gasser Moore

 

LAKELAND, LANIER COUNTY, Georgia – With this week’s Lanier County Jail Report, it appears that with the arrest of Leonard James West (20), a total of six (6) people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Timothy Hunt (27) of Naylor in Lakeland near South Oak Street and MLK Jr. Avenue on Sunday, June 2nd.

West was arrested, charged and jailed in Coffee County Jail on Wednesday, June 26th about 7:00 p.m. by the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office. No Bond has been approved.

Leonard West has been charged with:

  • Aggravated assault (4 counts),
  • Murder,
  • Unlawful for person employed by/associated with criminal street gang to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity (5 counts), and
  • Unlawful for any person employed by or associated with a criminal street gang to commit certain offenses with the intent to obtain, earn, or maintain gang membership in a criminal street gang (5 counts).

 

The first homicide related arrest was Tommy Rodriguez Manning (17).  He was arrested by the State of Georgia and charged as an adult.  He was charged with:

  • Aggravated assault (5 counts),
  • Armed robbery,
  • Murder,
  • Unlawful for person employed by or associated with criminal street gang to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity through the commission of any offense (8 counts),
  • Unlawful for any person employed by or associated with a criminal street gang to commit certain offenses with the intent to obtain, earn, or maintain gang membership in a criminal street gang.

A June 26th GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation press release announced that four (4) Lakeland teens were also charged as adults – Tommy Manning (17), I’mari Gates (16), Keamon Grant (16) and Kavion Brown (16).  The GBI has confirmed the arrests and charges as follows:

 

Gates, Grant and Manning have been charged with:

  • Party to the Crime of Murder (4 counts),
  • Party to the Crime of Aggravated Assault (4 counts),
  • Party to the Crime of Armed Robbery, and
  • Violations of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.

 

Brown has been charged with:

  • Party to the Crime of Aggravated Assault,
  • Party to the Crime of Armed Robbery, and
  • Violations of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.

 

On June 2nd, the Lakeland Police Department (LPD) requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).  GBI agents responded to the LPD request and immediately started investigated the death of Timothy Hunt (27) of Naylor.  Hunt was shot and killed on Sunday, June 2nd in the front yard of a Lakeland home on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.

 

Both the GBI as well as the LCSO has officially thanked Lakeland Police Department (LPD), Lanier County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (LoCSO), and Georgia State Patrol (GSP) for their assistance.

 

Initially, the GBI asked that if anyone had information, it was requested that the individual contact the Lakeland Police Department at 229-482-3309 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at 912-389-4103.

 

Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has announced that once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Alapaha District Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution.

 

Posted in Local Lens

Leave a Comment