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Man charged with murder in Walthourville shooting
Dotson at jail
Dwayne Dotson is escorted to his probable-cause hearing Friday. He faces felony murder and other charges in connection with a shooting early Wednesday in Walthourville that left one man dead and another wounded. - photo by Photo by Lewis Levine

The suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in Walthourville was charged with felony murder Friday, according to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.

Dwayne Dotson, 27, turned himself in less than an hour after the shooting a short distance from the scene, Pebble Creek Mobile Home Park on Dunlevie Road, a Sheriff’s Office news release says.

The Sheriff’s Office and Walthourville Police Department responded to the report of a fight with shots fired at mobile-home park around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday.

When they arrived, officers found Frank Willingham Jr. suffering from three gunshot wounds. He was airlifted to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah. Jamell Devante Brown, 28, was found with one gunshot wound, and he was declared dead at the scene, according to the news release.

While investigating at the scene, deputies were notified by the resident of a nearby mobile home that his home had been hit by a bullet. The bullet entered his home, hit a piece of a bunk bed and went between his sleeping children, the release says.

An autopsy was performed Thursday on Brown at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Savannah.

Sheriff’s Detective Christopher Reed obtained warrants charging Dotson with felony murder, four counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies.

Sheriff Steve Sikes and Reed escorted Dotson to a probable-cause hearing in front of Liberty County Magistrate Judge Jimmie R. Bomar, who denied bond. Dotson was returned to the Liberty County Jail.

Detectives are still investigating the incident and ask that anyone with information call 912-876-4555 or 912-369-2020 and ask for Reed or Capt. Doug Snider.

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