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By Beth Alston

 

AMERICUS — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Americus Region 3 Office concluded its investigation of a shooting death that occurred on July 28 in Americus.

Authorities were called to a residence at 250 Edgewood Drive, in the Dixie Hills subdivision, that day. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office requested GBI assistance with the shooting investigation that resulted in the death of a Cordele man.

As previously reported, the victim was identified George “Ritch” McCutchen, 77, of Cordele. Sumter County Sheriff Pete Smith told the Times-Recorder after the incident that William Brewer, the 81-year-old resident at the address, had ordered McCutchen to leave his yard and McCutchen failed to do so. The sheriff said Brewer fired a shot into the ground but McCutchen kept coming. He said Brewer then shot McCutchen in the leg and torso.

James Green, a Sumter County deputy coroner, told the Times-Recorder that a Georgia state trooper and a neighbor who is a nurse, rendered CPR and first aid to McCutchen, but he bled out from the leg wound before EMS arrived. Green said the body was sent to the State Crime Lab for autopsy.

William Brewer was taken into custody, and later released on the same day, according to the sheriff.

In the aftermath, with the assistance of the Sumter County, Sheriff’s Office, the Americus Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the GBI Region 3 Office conducted numerous interviews, collected numerous items of evidence, and later conducted more follow-up interviews. As a result of the investigation, Vicki Jones Brewer, 70, William Brewer’s wife, was charged with one count of making false statements and writings. William “Bill” Brewer was charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of felony murder.

Both subjects were taken into custody on Friday and taken to the Sumter County Jail where they were processed on the charges. Sumter County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Col. Eric Bryant said it was unlikely that a bond hearing would be held Friday afternoon, so the two remained in jail.

The investigation is still ongoing and anyone who may have information related to this incident is urged to call the GBI Region 3 Office (229-931-2439) or the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (229-924-4094).