GBI, Macon DA asks for trust, patience as investigation continues into Crawford County deputy-involved shooting

Macon DA Howard: "We have to follow the evidence."

KNOXVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says its investigation continues into the fatal shooting of 47-year old Denrich Demond Stallings of Roberta. Stallings died when he was shot by a Crawford County deputy on January 9th.

Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard and GBI Special Agent In Charge Jerry Jones spoke to reporters at the Crawford County Courthouse.

Howard said, “I want you to know that I was on scene the day of the incident.” She added that she has questions about what exactly happened and expects to get evidence to get those questions answered. As she addressed family members, she said “we have to follow the evidence”.

According to GBI SAC Jones, “A lot of evidence has been collected. That evidence is being or has been forwarded to the GBI Crime Lab for analysis.”

Georgia State Representative Patty Bentley, (D) District 139,  asked them to address how the GBI got involved, instead of in the investigation being handled by local law enforcement. Jones said that the Crawford County Sheriff requested that the GBI conduct an independent investigation. He asked everyone to trust them to conduct a thorough independent investigation, but he expects the analysis of evidence to take some time.

He said he expects the autopsy results to take possibly take several weeks to get back.

Jones would not reveal if video or audio evidence exists of the shooting from either a body or vehicle camera.

On January 12th, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office announced Deputy William Owenby was the deputy involved in this case, and that he had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the GBI’s investigation and review by the Macon Judicial Circuit.

Owenby has been involved in a similar situation before. In May of 2020, he was involved in a car chase with a man who was considered armed and dangerous, which ended with the suspect being shot and dying in the hospital later.

According to the GBI’s preliminary investigation, Stallings refused to pull over for an attempted traffic stop, led the deputy on a chase for several miles, crashed his car, and then, started to run. When Stallings got out of the car, the deputy tased him. As the deputy tried to arrest him, Stallings fought and tried to take the deputy’s gun. During the struggle, the deputy fired the gun, and Stallings was declared dead at the scene.

Toward the end of the news conference, a woman asked, “Can you tell me how many times my son was shot because I don’t know anything?” Jones told her that he would be willing to discuss the details that he can share with her after the news conference.

The GBI says they will share information as the investigation develops with the public and family members when they are able to.