Here's a link to the storyPosted on Thu, Mar. 23, 2006
5 charged with murder in Bibb deputy's deathBy Tim SturrockTELEGRAPH STAFF WRITERFive people have been charged with murder in the shooting death of a Bibb County deputy, who died this morning while executing a search warrant, authorities said.
Deputy Joseph Whitehead, 36, was shot at a house on Atherton Street sometime before 1:30 a.m. and died at The Medical Center of Central Georgia, authorities said.
Antron Dawayne Fair, 21, Damon Antwon Jolly, 20, Cynthia Greene, 20, Thomas Mason Porter Jr., 22, and Hassan Shirell Harclerode, age unavailable, all were charged with murder, according to police.
Deputies were fired upon by occupants of the house, and though the deputies were wearing protective vests, Whitehead was fatally shot in the face, sheriff's Capt. David Davis said.
Whitehead was pronounced dead sometime after 2 a.m., officials said.
Whitehead was an 11-year veteran who began his career in June 1995, according to a sheriff's department news release. He joined the drug squad in 2002, according to the release.
Davis said investigators found drugs and guns inside the home during the search.
The squad serves warrants every week, sometimes several times a week, Davis said.
"There's nothing routine in something like this. This is just what they do," Davis said of the searches.
Davis said as a matter of policy, the way the search was conducted will be examined.
"Any time something like this happens it has to be looked at from every angle," he said.
Davis called the situation tragic.
"This deputy and the ones with him, they are on the front lines protecting the citizens," Davis said. "He was an excellent officer all the way. Every section he has worked in he's done a excellent job."
The Georgia Senate observed a moment of silence Thursday morning for the slain deputy, according to the Associated Press.
"They put their lives on the line every day," Sen. Robert Brown, D-Macon, told the AP. "We have a very serious problem with drugs and the violence that is associated with it in our community in Bibb County. This is just one example of how precarious their lives are."
I did not know him personally, but did cross paths with him a few times during my 6 years with Macon P.D.
ETA:
Here is an update to the original story