Police trainee charged in fatal shooting

Macon Telegraph ^ | 4 Dec 01 | Rob Peecher

[real saxophonist]

Police trainee charged in fatal shooting   

By Rob Peecher

Telegraph Staff Writer

TOOMSBORO - A McIntyre police officer trainee was arrested Monday and charged with murder in the early morning shooting death of a 51-year-old Englehard employee.

Wilkinson County Sheriff Richard Chatman said Rodney Carswell, 26, may face additional charges as the investigation continues.

"We feel like the motive may have been robbery," Chatman said.

Chatman said his office was notified at about 1:15 a.m. that an apparent gunshot victim was on the side of the road on Ga. 57 near the Washington County line in an area known as the Ball's Ferry Flats. Deputies arrived shortly after the call and found the body of Marvin Godfrey, who had gotten off work at about midnight, Chatman said.

"A lot of what we're doing is still under investigation," Chatman said. "We got information from (the victim's) family that led to the suspect."

Chatman said investigators have a weapon that they think was used in the killing, but he declined to comment on the type or caliber of the gun.

Carswell was still in police training and was not yet a certified peace officer, Chatman said. He did not know how long Carswell had been employed by the McIntyre Police Department or if he worked in any other capacity before beginning police training.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Milledgeville is assisting the sheriff's office in the investigation.

- To contact Rob Peecher, call 706-485-3987 or e-mail rpeecher@communicomm.com.

[JohnGalt]

If only the police have guns, who will protect us from the police?

[samuel_adams_us]

The government can't trust the citizens with guns and yet we are supposed to trust the members who work for our government with a gun? Wonder why the founding fathers already knew that giving guns and power to the government was not a good thing, maybe this just helps prove their case.

[RLK]

This is one of the reasons I fear law enforcement officials at all levels more than I fear terrorists and street criminals. The common criminals, I can handle on my own. In the other cases, defending yourself is a crime against the government or law enforcement officers. Unless I know a law enforcement officer or a judge personally, I don't trust them.

[scooter2]

To VPC:

Still think we'll all be safer when only the police have guns?

[Yo-Yo]

Add this to the Georgia Sheriff that shot the Sheriff-Elect, and it really gives you confidence in the Government.