A Lowndes County grand jury has indicted a Columbus man for murder in the fatal shooting of another man last summer.
Israel Buckhalter, 39, faces one count of second-degree murder and two counts of shooting into a dwelling, according to Lowndes County Circuit Court records. Columbus police arrested Buckhalter for the July 25 death of Desi Shepherd, 32.
Buckhalter is accused of shooting Shepherd at a home on Springdale Drive in southeast Columbus, according to previous reporting by The Dispatch. During the shooting, Buckhalter also allegedly shot into two Springdale Drive residences.
The grand jury also indicted two men who allegedly broke into a New Hope home in September and assaulted and robbed the resident. Brandon Lee Runnells, 20, and Donavan James Prather, 19, were both indicted for aggravated assault, armed robbery and kidnapping, the latter for allegedly holding the resident in his home and not allowing him to escape the house.
An indictment essentially charges a suspect formally with an offense.
Other indictments
Curtis Loral Stroud, Jr., 28, was indicted for burglary of a dwelling and kidnapping for holding the resident of the dwelling in the home he was burglarizing and not allowing them to leave.
Two suspects were charged in separate arsons: Darrius C. Hendrix, 21, with two counts of third-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to two vehicles in June; and Glenn Wayne McDonald, 54, with first-degree arson for allegedly burning his own home in August, according to court documents.
Two suspects were charged in separate incidents for molesting children under 16: Randy Scott Watkins, 30, and Anthony J. Coleman, 29, were both charged with fondling/molestation.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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