By Joe Johnson
A Madison County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a University of Georgia student Sunday night after he found the victim with his wife at the victim’s home on Old Jefferson Road, according to recordings of 911 calls that were made after the shooting.
The recordings were released by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department on Tuesday afternoon.
In the first call the deputy, Wiford Terrell "Trey" Adams III told a police communications officer, “Yes ‘Mam, I’m at 6340 Old Jefferson Road. I just shot somebody.”
With his wife heard crying in the background, Adams said, “My name is Trey Adams. My wife was cheating on me – I couldn’t take it. I caught her cheating,” according to the 911 recording.
Adams told the 911 dispatcher that the victim ran away and that he did not know if he had been injured.
When the dispatcher learned that Adams was still holding the gun, she asked him to put it down.
According to the recording, Adams replied, “No, I’m going to kill myself. I can’t go to the jail for the rest of my life, I’m a deputy sheriff with Madison County.”
When the dispatcher asked about gunshots she heard, Adams told her that he had shot out windows in his truck.
Adams is heard telling his wife,” I’m turning myself in. No matter what, I always loved you even if you didn’t love me.”
When Adams‘ wife called 911, she said that the victim, 26-year-old Benjamin Lloyd Cloer was just a friend and that “it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Officers located Cloer on the side of the house, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
Cloer was transported to the hospital, where he died, police said.
The UGA student was working toward a master’s degree in artificial intelligence.
Police noted that Adams, 32, of Lord Fleming Road in Comer was off duty and not in uniform at the time of the shooting.
He was taken into custody at the scene and when the Madison County sheriff arrived, he immediately fired Adams.
The former deputy was charged with murder and is being held without bond at the Clarke County Jail.