CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson A house fire last month in southeastetn Athens-Clarke County was accidentally sparked by an apartment electrical issue. A resident who perished in the April 24th fire at 121 Sapphire Court was identified as 68-year-old Francine Vancuron. “The fire began in the living room, and it’s suspected that it was electrical in nature,” ACCFD Fire Marshal Kevin Kearney said. The fire department had no information about dogs that reportedly lived with the victim.

By Joe Johnson The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is investigating the death of a University of Georgia student after his body was found in his off-campus apartment. The 21-year-old student reportedly had been found deceased in the apartment’s bathroom by a roommate. He had stab wounds to his neck and a knife was on the floor beside him, according to police, “This case is still being actively investigated,” said police spokesperson Lt. Katie Jenkins, “Currently, ther

By Joe Johnson Authorities have identified a woman who was found dead in Athens in January. On Friday, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department identified her as Rosalinda Gurley, 74, of Statham. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’’s crime lab positively identified Gurley with assistance from ACCPD. When Gurley was found the morning of January 27th at the rear of American Pest Control on Atlanta Highway it was thought she was homeless and might have died from exposure to

By Joe Johnson An Athens police officer was searching for a wanted person in a wooded area near Danielsville and Hull roads last Friday when he came across the body of 42-year-old Rodney Ray Alford inside a tent at a homeless camp, “This is currently being investigated as a suspicious death,” said police spokesperson Lt. Katie Jenkins. “The deceased has been taken for autopsy,” she said. “There are no further information at this time.”

By Joe Johnson Police say they are investigating the death of a University of Georgia student who apparently shot himself this week in his off-campus apartment, The body of the 22-year-old student was found by roommates Wednesday night in the bathtub filled with water.A pistol was in his right hand and he had a bullet wound to the right temple, according to police. “Currently there is no foul play suspected in this ongoing death investigation,” police spokesperson Lt. Katie J

By Joe Johnson Members of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team last week responded to a mutual aid request from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office involving a standoff with an armed man, Identified as 30-year-old Lavonia resident Alan Joseph Chandler. “Negotiations were ultimately unsuccessful and Chandler was involved in a law enforcement involved shooting and died as a result,” according to a report by the negotiating team. The Georgia Bur

By Joe Johnson The man who died last weekend while incarcerated at the county jail in Athens has been identified as 45-year-old Joshua Lee Silvers. He was a convicted child molester who had been jailed for failing to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. He had been convicted of sexual battery against a 6-year-old girl in Oconee County. Jail personnel found Silvers unresponsive in his cell Sunday night and he died after unsuccessful lifesaving attempts. Pe

This was released today by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office On the night of April 5, 2026, at approximately 7:03 PM, the staff at the Athens-Clarke County Jail were bringing a change of uniform to a male jail resident. A deputy entered the cell and noticed the male seated, slumped over, and unresponsive to verbal or physical stimulation. Lifesaving procedures were initiated, and on-site medical assistance was called. EMS and CCFD were also requested to come to the jail. EMS

By Joe Johnson The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is reviewing the death of an 86-year-old resident of an assisted living facility for possible neglect by one of the employees, The woman died Sunday morning at Manor Lake while under the care of a 34-year old employee who has had numerous problems in the short time she’s been there. The employee had previously been found sleeping on the job and allegedly had not been properly caring for the resident who died. She was a

By Joe Johnson A University of Georgia student has been sentenced to probation for an alleged drunk-driving incident in which his car struck and killed a man three years ago. Benhur G. Tedfai, a 23-year-old management information systems major, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge for the 2023 incident on West Broad Street that claimed the life of 34-year-old Michael Jerrell Kitchen. He entered the plea in an agreement with prosecutors after a Superior Cour

Released today by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department: On March 6, 2026, at approximately 5:15 AM, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Cedar Shoals Drive and Whit Davis Road. The initial investigation indicated that a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta was traveling eastbound on Cedar Shoals Drive when the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, 32-year-old Rochelle Jo

By Joe Johnson The man who was killed by train in Winder Monday morning has been identified as 67-year-old Johnny Ray Gooch. The incident occurred shortly before noon on CSX tracks in the area of Atlanta Highway and Cedar Creek Road. The engineer told authorities that he saw Gooch lying on the tracks but was not able to stop the train in time, The incident is under investigation by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, which did not have a home address for Gooch.

Released today by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation WALTON COUNTY, GA (March 5, 2026) The victim in a Wednesday night fatality in Walton County has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab for assistance in identification. Georgia State Patrol Post 46 Assistant Post Commander Christoph Ayers said the fatality was the result of a single vehicle crash on H D Atha Road in Walton County on March 4, 2026. Ayers said GSP TFC2 Smith was dispatched to the scene

The following was released by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On February 21, 2026, at approximately 8:30 PM, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to an injury crash on Olympic Drive. Initial investigation indicates that the driver of a 2013 BMW 650i sedan struck a bicyclist operating a GS5 740W electric bike in the rear. Both vehicles were traveling westbound on Olympic Drive, near the intersection of Athena Drive. The bicyclist, Kul Chokhal, a 37-

By Joe Johnson Authorities are investigating the death of a 68-year-old woman whose body was discovered hanging in her home on Towns Walk Drive Wednesday night. Responding to a call from a relative, police officers found the woman hanging in the living room from a rope tied to a second-floor balcony. Police said that the woman had left a suicide note on a counter. Detectives continue to investigate the matter.

By Joe Johnson A 30-year-old woman from Snellville checked into an Atlanta Highway motel room last Thursday evening and less than 48 hours later her lifeless body was found sprawled across the bed. She became the fourth person to apparently die from fentanyl use not even two full months into the new year, continuing the deadly trend of nearly three dozen such deaths in 2025. According to Athens-Clarke County Coroner Michael Eberhart, in 2025 there were 33 confirmed or suspec

By Joe Johnson A 59-year-old man who passed away this month in a house on Helen Street might be the third person in Athens to have died from the recent extreme cold weather. Rogelio Perez was lying on the floor of the basement that he was sharing with a roommate when the other man found him deceased on the morning of February 1st. According to a police report, “his face was frozen with his mouth wide open,” and “it appeared as if Mr, Perez was attempting to plug in a heater.

By Joe Johnson Authorities are asking for the public’s help with identifying a woman whose body was recently found outside of a business along Atlanta Highway. The middle-aged homeless woman is believed to have died from exposure during the recent extreme cold weather. She was found the morning of January 27th by an employee of American Pest Control in the rear parking lot of the business. There were no indications of alcohol or drug abuse, according to County Coroner Michael

The following was released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Jackson County, GA (February 4, 2026) - At the request of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating a death in Jackson County. On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at about 11:15 a.m., the Jefferson Police Department responded to a location off of Fields Road in Jackson County after several citizens were searching near where a crash occurred on Sunday, February 1, 2026. On Wednesday, February

The following was released by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On January 28, 2026, at approximately 7:35 p.m., ACCPD officers responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 300 block of Peabody Street. The investigation determined that a 2018 Toyota Tundra was parked along Peabody Street while the driver, George Whittenburg, a 21-year-old UGA studen of Austin, Texas, was standing outside the driver’s door. The vehicle began rolling in reverse, striking and rolling over