By Joe Johnson
Last Friday night just before 11 p.m. Winder Police responded to a stabbing call in the 100 block of Bush Chapel Drive.
Upon arrival, officers located a male and female at the scene who had sustained injuries from a physical altercation with another man.
Police learned that 58-year-old Ralph Butler of Winder went to that location to confront his girlfriend, 50-year-old Yolanda Hammond also of Winder, about some items he claimed she had stolen from him.
As the two argued, another man at the scene tried to intervene and he and Butler began to fight. Butler struck the man causing an injury to the man’s head.Butler then continued to argue with Hammond, ultimately stabbing Hammond repeatedly. Hammond died at the scene soon after police arrived.The other man was taken to a nearby hospital and was treated for a non-life-threatening injury to his head.
Butler fled the scene immediately after the assault. Through investigative efforts and with the assistance of the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, Winder Police were able to locate Butler at an address on Tanners Bridge Road in Bethlehem Saturday morning at approximately 11:45 a.m.
Butler was taken into custody by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and is currently awaiting a bond hearing at the Barrow County Detention Center.
Ralph Junior Butler is being charged with Murder, Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Assault.