In the early morning hours of July 17, 2022, 22-year-old Dolan Ryan Blanchard was found lying in Maria Sorrell Road in Bulloch County, Georgia, suffering from critical gunshot wounds. Deputies who responded to the scene just after 1:30 a.m. attempted to provide first aid, but Blanchard succumbed to his injuries before emergency medical services could arrive. The young man from Sylvania had been shot three times with a 12-gauge shotgun. While authorities were at the scene of the shooting, a report came in about a vehicle fire a short distance away. The burning vehicle was later identified as the car Blanchard had been driving, which belonged to his father.
The investigation into the homicide quickly led authorities to a 19-year-old from Statesboro named John Warnell Morris. Investigators discovered that Morris and Blanchard knew each other through an online video gaming community. On the night of the murder, Morris had convinced Blanchard to drive from Sylvania to Statesboro with a plan to go shoot at road signs. Morris directed Blanchard to the remote location on Maria Sorrell Road, where they got out of the car. After firing at a stop sign, Morris turned the shotgun on Blanchard. Following the shooting, Morris took Blanchard's car, drove it to another location, and set it on fire, leaving the murder weapon inside.
John Morris was arrested by the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office on July 29, 2022. During questioning, he confessed to the pre-planned murder and even walked investigators through the crime scene. He was subsequently charged with a litany of crimes, including Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Arson. In March 2024, John Warnell Morris pleaded guilty to the murder of Dolan Blanchard. A judge sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He also received an additional 15 years for the arson and firearm possession charges and was ordered to pay over $18,000 in restitution.
