Staff reports

 

BYROMVILLE- A little after 4 a.m. Thursday morning, January 25, Dooly County Sheriff’s office received an emergency call in Byromville. Three deputies and one County investigator responded to the scene. Two victims, 47 year-old Priscilla Adams and a 17-month old infant, were found deceased on the scene at a residence on Hill Street. A third victim, a black female teenager, was found to be shot, and was transported to the hospital in Macon for surgery. According to GBI agent Ricketson the teen is in critical, but stable condition.

60 year-old Willie James Merrell was found dead several hours later in the backyard of a house across the street from the scene. The GBI investigators are treating the two cases as separate investigations until further notice. The case involving Priscilla Adams, the teenager, and the infant is being treated as a homicide as of this time, whereas the death of Merrell is being treated as a death investigation until evidence suggests otherwise.

The only connections that have been found to this point are that Adams’ son was dating the mother of the infant, and the teen that is in stable condition in the hospital is Adams’ daughter. Interviews are being conducted in Dooly and the surrounding counties in an attempt to acquire more information on the victims. No suspect has been named at  this time.

A weapon and bullet casings were found on the scene, but no information has been made available about them to this point.

“This scene has just grown. It’s a horrible situation and the scene went from a bad scene to worse. We’re still canvasing the area, we’re still searching. I’ve got about 75-80% of my department out here along with (GBI) agent Ricketson, and his entire staff. We will work around the clock to find out who did this,” said Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy.

GBI agents expect to be continuing the investigation tonight past dark, and will likely be back out at the scene doing further investigation in the morning. Updates will be provided as they are made available.