Wierd. This is strange.
Police investigating a fatal beating in Columbia County said Friday they haven't connected it to the shooting of the victim's neighbor Thursday night in Richmond County.
Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said he knows of no link between the two crimes.
"We have been in contact with Richmond County authorities concerning that matter, but there's no evidence to suggest a link," he said.
Richmond County investigators said Rebecca Sears, 41, was shot in the leg late Thursday outside the Healing Hands Physical Therapy Center on Highland Avenue, where she works.
The day before, Ms. Sears' neighbor Laverne Parsons, also 41 and a Healing Hands employee, was brutally beaten in her home. She died Thursday from those injuries.
Ms. Sears lived at 227 Hot Springs Drive in Columbia County's Orchard Hill subdivision. Mrs. Parsons lived at 229 Hots Springs Drive.
Both women were pictured on the company's Web site, which was taken down Friday afternoon. Both locations of Healing Hands in Augusta and Thomson were also closed and phone messages were not returned.
Mrs. Parsons died Thursday afternoon, and Ms. Sears was shot about six hours later.
Ms. Sears told investigators she was walking to her vehicle when a man she did not know appeared from the rear of the building and brandished a pistol.
She said she turned to go back inside when a gunshot grazed both legs.
Ms. Sears told police the man said if she "didn't have his money it would be her face."
He then ran toward a wooded area. Police found a .22-caliber shell casing at the scene, according to the sheriff's office report.
Mrs. Parsons is believed to have been attacked at her home in Columbia County about 9 a.m. Wednesday after return- ing home from dropping her son off at school.
The homes of both women on Hot Springs Drive appeared to have been broken into, and police said Thursday they believe Mrs. Parsons had interrupted a burglary.
An autopsy conducted at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Atlanta confirmed Friday that Mrs. Parsons died of blunt force head trauma, Columbia County Deputy Coroner Harriett Garrison said.
Both Columbia and Richmond county sheriff's offices are working together on her homicide, Capt. Morris said.
Reach Donnie Fetter and Adam Folk at (706) 724-0851.
Wierd. This is strange.
So, they both worked at the same place then?
And this is a coincidence? I am having a hard time believing this one.
May God be with these families during this sad time.
Why would someone who lives in posh Orchard Hill subdivision work of of all places on Highland Ave.?
iletyouknow, Because that is where their jobsite is located? Lots of folks live in Columbia County and work in Richmond County. Your comment makes no sense and smacks of racism.
No link?.............Come on now.............
I think the police know there is a link but aren't saying anything yet until they have all the evidence they need.
Same job, they're both neighbors and someone attacking this lady and saying something about not getting his money sounds like drugs. Not saying these women were on drugs, but possibly mistaken identity. My prayers go out to the fsmilies.
no link.....YET! This is too strange not to be linked.
Just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
There is no mistaken identity. Mistaken for who? This is indeed tragic but since it is in an area where "This kind of thing doesn't happen," the authorities want the public to believe there is not a connection and foul play at hand. Now if it was "in the bottom," there would be connections and connections not connected, just add it on for the heck of it. Get real RC and CC Police Dept., stop acting like you received your training from "Sears and Robucks!"
Baloney! It's hard to believe that they are not related. We are talking murder here. To "iletuknow", that area of Highland Avenue is right near Aquinas. Except for some undesirables who live at nearby apartments, that is not a bad area and there are businesses located there. And, the lady did get MURDERED in a "POSH" subdivision. You are talking out of a paper hat but lower.
Definitely are linked.......there's no way that much of a coincidence can occur! Unfortunate for both famlies, but get real, someone was involved in something and it got way out of hand. Just cuz u live in a "posh" neighborhood, doesn't mean u can't be doing illegal things, like cocaine, or prescription pills. A big dope deal gone wrong maybe????? it is sad to speculate on such things during such a sad time, but please let's not treat the public ignorantly.
of course they are related. and if they actually believe that bs description they claim sears gave them then they are truly fools. and if not i wish they would quit lying to the media. at first i figured it was someone from shadygrove. but her house is in the middle of this nice neighborhood. no way they could have gotten away. they would have picked one close the the woods and columbia road.
Plenty of POSH people are supplementing their income with illegal activity ....but whitey usually doesn't get caught as quickly or often cuz he mite only travel in upscale circles. (judges, lawyers, doctors)etc.
"She didn't have his money"?????????? Not give me some money, or your money, but his money!!!!! DUHHHHHH!!!!!!
1. they lived next to each other. 2. they were employed at the same place. 3. th were broken into the same dy. Found 3 links so far. The police are probably "not linking them" publicly, but I bet a box of doughnuts that they aren't dismissing it either.
clearly- she must have been able to get a look at him-yet no description, not even a little bit of one?
such a pretty lady. hope they catch the guy and the guy puts up a fight.
.....just be patient. I think Columbia County knows what they are doing. Sometimes the public SHOULDN'T know everything that is going on; it could hinder investigation. Maybe they need to throw someone off track, so they can be nabbed when they are sleeping. Yes, I bet law enforcement knows a WHOLE LOT MORE than they are releasing right now. Like HYPOCRITES 08 said, just waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I'm waiting anxiously to see it fall.
barnaman: I agree with you, do you really think its kids- latest I heard she described the guy between 25-55?
if it is kids= their parents will be completely devastated
blackbatch30906 appears to have a chip on her shoulder.
Law enforcement is not going to say anything until they have the facts in hand. I believe they are heading in a particular direction in this case. Loose lips sink ships and also ruin criminal cases. They are thinking the same things that we are, but professionalism dictates that they keep quiet for now.
Her use of the word mite places her in the lower 1% of uneducated blacks
halfpint someone did say they worked at a pain clinic. but i cant imagine two well off women doing anything illegal. its possible. but a kid did not do that to ms. parsons. does anyone know how ms. parsons lost her job or why?
rufus- ROFLMAO
I have a funny true story about an invisable fence people use for their dogs- anybody in the mood for a chuckle?
yes that was funny rufus. you can see her excitement hoping this is one of the rare times a white person did it. she doesnt care about ms. parsons. but then again i dont care about that black kid who just died either. i actually think its annoying the news puts it on before this story.
I don't care either whether the person who committed this evil crime/crimes is black or white= their garbage