In the early morning hours of July 30, 2024, two people were shot and later died in Cairo, Georgia. James Lamar Sherman Jr., 35, was found at a nearby residence after officers responded about 12:54 a.m. to reports of a shooting near the intersection of 7th Avenue NW and 4th Street NW. Heather Haywood, 41, was found inside Azalea Park. Both were taken to a local hospital and succumbed to their gunshot wounds.

Sherman is remembered by family and friends as a warm, helpful member of the Cairo community; funeral services for him were held on August 10, 2024. The Cairo Police Department, with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, is handling the double homicide investigation. Authorities have not disclosed any suspects or arrests and have asked the public for information.

Did anyone in the Cairo area see or hear anything around Azalea Park or the nearby streets that night?