Escondarious Lamontay Pinkney, 23, was found in an open lot between North Main Street and North Avenue in Blakely, Georgia, in early May 2024 after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. A resident of Dothan, Alabama, with deep roots in Blakely, he was taken to Early Memorial Hospital but died of his injuries.

The Blakely Police Department responded to reports of gunfire and a person in need of medical help; the investigation involved the Early County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia State Patrol. Authorities identified a suspect quickly: about 2:00 a.m. the following morning, 32-year-old Antwain Thornton of Blakely was arrested and booked into the Early County Jail on a murder charge, with additional assault and weapons charges expected as the probe continued.

The case remains active and investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward.