On the late afternoon of Thursday, August 9, 2018, Willie Bell, a 60-year-old man, was found in the yard of his home in the 600 block of 15th Street SW in Cairo, Georgia. The Cairo Police Department responded and requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at about 4:20 p.m. A detailed examination determined Bell had been shot; his body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab for autopsy and the death was classified as a homicide.

Police and GBI investigators canvassed the neighborhood, interviewed potential witnesses and collected physical evidence. Authorities described the investigation as active and asked the public to contact the GBI’s Thomasville office or the Cairo Police Department with information. No arrests were announced in the days after the shooting, and there have been no public updates identifying suspects.

If anyone knew Willie Bell or has information about what happened that afternoon, please contact the GBI or the Cairo Police Department.