James Jason Burnett, 43, was fatally shot on the evening of April 20, 2019, at a residence on Bill Anderson Road in Dahlonega, Georgia. Burnett, a local contractor and member of Philippi Baptist Church, went to the home of 23-year-old Axel Ricky Willis, where Burnett’s estranged wife Heather was living. An exchange of words escalated and Burnett was reportedly struck Willis with a baseball bat, leaving visible marks, before being shot. Witnesses to the incident included Heather Burnett and others.

Willis was arrested on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, held briefly, and released on bond; as of late April 2019 no homicide charges had been filed.

If anyone witnessed the exchange that night or has information about what led up to the shooting, please share what is known.