Crisp murder suspect caught in Dooly

Published 8:48 am Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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In less than 40 hours, Michael Anthony Savage went from a free man to a murder suspect in the custody of law enforcement officials.

The 26-year-old Cordele man was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with the Sunday-night murder of 38-year-old Kenneth Armstrong, also of Cordele.

Savage was taken into custody on Georgia Highway 215 in Dooly County at approximately 10:50 Tuesday morning. He was arrested without incident, according to a press release from the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.

Savage faces charges of murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and aggravated assault. He was released in February from Telfair State Prison, where he was serving a five-year sentence for aggravated assault and firearms violations.

According to Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock, a 911 caller reported shots fired at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday night in the 2200 block of Roosevelt Street. The first deputy on the scene found Armstrong seated in a vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to Crisp Regional Hospital, and Armstrong succumbed to his injuries some time around midnight.

Hancock said investigators believe the two men were acquainted, although a motive for the killing has not been definitively established.

Crisp County Sheriff’s Office worked alongside the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Department of Community Supervision, U.S. Marshal Middle Georgia Fugitive Task Force, and Dooly County Sheriff’s Office. “I applaud every team member for their dedication, compassion, and collaboration to bring justice to our community,” said Sheriff Billy Hancock.