In the predawn hours of a November morning, the life of 32-year-old Delphonso Tobias Heard was tragically cut short on a dark stretch of Bowman Highway in Hartwell, Georgia. An African American man, Heard was a graduate of Hart County High School with associate degrees in Auto Engine Mechanics and Criminal Justice. He was a father to a daughter and a stepfather to two other children, known by his family as a hardworking individual dedicated to providing for them.
On November 1, 2022,
Heard was making his way home from his job in Anderson, South Carolina. After experiencing car trouble, he had gotten a ride to the Walmart in Hartwell and was walking the remaining distance home along Georgia Highway 172. It was during this walk that he was fatally shot by an unknown assailant. In the darkness, his body was subsequently struck by two separate vehicles. The driver of one of the vehicles stopped and called 911, while the other continued on without stopping. When first responders arrived at the scene, a quarter-mile north of the Hickory Crossing intersection, they discovered Heard's body in the roadway.
The Hart County Sheriff's Office, along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, immediately launched a homicide investigation. Authorities canvassed the area and conducted numerous interviews, but struggled to find any solid leads. Surveillance footage from businesses along Heard's route home was reviewed but failed to provide any definitive clues as to who may have been responsible. Investigators have stated that Heard was not known to be a 'problem person' and they have not found any evidence to suggest the shooting was gang-related.
To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Delphonso Heard, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an active and open investigation. In an effort to bring justice for Heard and his family, the Hart County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with his family, has offered a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for his death. The community and his family continue to await answers in this tragic and unsolved case.
