On the evening of December 8, 2022, in Blairsville, Georgia, the life of 38-year-old Eric James Heritage, a Caucasian male, was tragically cut short. The events of that night unfolded at a residence on Fortenberry Road, culminating in a fatal shooting that would lead to a swift arrest and a litany of serious charges against the alleged perpetrator.
The incident began to attract the attention of law enforcement at approximately 7:20 p.m.
when Union County 911 received an open line call from the residence. Dispatchers could hear screaming in the background, prompting the immediate dispatch of deputies to what was initially considered a dispute. Upon their arrival, deputies were met by 32-year-old Wade Allen Huffman of Blairsville, who was waiting on the front steps of the home. Huffman was taken into custody on outstanding warrants for failing to register as a sex offender.
Inside the residence, officers made a grim discovery. They found Eric Heritage, who had been shot. Deputies attempted to provide life-saving measures, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to lead the inquiry into the homicide.
The investigation revealed that Huffman had only been out of prison for about three months prior to the shooting. He has a criminal history that includes a 2010 conviction in Ohio for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The day before the fatal shooting, a woman had reported to the Union County Sheriff's Office that Huffman, who had been staying with her, had acted inappropriately with her underage child. After she made him leave her home, she filed the report. Authorities believe Huffman returned to the residence the following evening, which led to the deadly encounter with Heritage.
In January 2023, a Union County Grand Jury handed down a 13-count indictment against Wade Allen Huffman. The charges are extensive and include malice murder, two counts of felony murder, home invasion, first-degree burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additionally, Huffman faces charges of child molestation, sexual battery against a child under 16, theft by taking, and failure to register as a sex offender. Due to a conflict of interest, the Enotah Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge originally assigned to the case recused himself, as he had been involved in a prior conviction against Huffman in his previous role as Assistant District Attorney. Huffman is facing the possibility of life in prison, with or without parole, or the death penalty.
