In the summer of 2022, the life of 51-year-old Napoleon Nigel Ponder was tragically cut short in Valdosta, Georgia. Known to many as 'Nigel,' Ponder was a man with an entrepreneurial spirit, heading his own company, Big Pine Properties, LLC. His family and friends remembered him as spirited, intelligent, and always willing to lend a hand. He was a loving father and a caring fiancé.
Concern arose on June 29, 2022, when Ponder's family realized they had not seen or heard from him for
about a day. Acting on information from his family, Valdosta Police officers were led to a residence in the 100 block of Baisden Avenue. Inside the home, a grim discovery was made. Officers found Ponder's body, which showed signs of apparent trauma, later confirmed to be multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into Ponder's death quickly pointed to a suspect: 32-year-old Xavier Cornelius White. Police determined that White and Ponder were acquainted, and characterized the murder as an isolated incident. Arrest warrants were issued for White on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault. For a time, White was a fugitive, considered armed and dangerous by law enforcement who sought the public's help in locating him.
The search for Xavier White concluded on July 9, 2022. Valdosta Police responded to a 911 call from a woman on North Lee Street who reported an unknown man in a shed in her backyard. Officers surrounded the shed and, recognizing White inside, gave verbal commands for him to come out. White surrendered to the officers and was taken into custody without incident. He was then transported to the Lowndes County Jail.
