Charles Woodfin 'Chip' Case, a 41-year-old man, had dedicated much of his life to service, first as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps for 14 years and then in his community in Augusta, Georgia. After a period with Animal Services, he had taken on the role of a code enforcement officer for the city's Planning and Development department. He was a husband and a father to four children, known as a selfless man who had recently moved his family from California back to his home state of
Georgia to be closer to relatives.
On the morning of Thursday, August 20, 2020, Case was performing what was considered a routine part of his job. He drove his city vehicle to a residence on 13th Avenue to post a 'condemned' sign on the property. The home belonged to 65-year-old Smitty Oliver Melton, and it was in foreclosure proceedings because the property taxes had not been paid for several years. Case was not there to interact with the resident but simply to place the official notice on the dwelling. After he posted the sign and returned to his truck, he was ambushed. The shooter approached the driver's side of the vehicle and opened fire.
Neighbors heard the sound of four gunshots and rushed outside to find Case lying wounded in the road. He was still alive when they reached him, and police officers who arrived on the scene quickly began administering CPR. Despite their efforts, Case succumbed to his injuries before an ambulance could transport him to a hospital. He was pronounced dead at 10:25 a.m., having been shot at least once.
The investigation quickly led to Smitty Oliver Melton as the primary suspect. Authorities surrounded his home shortly after the shooting. Melton fled the scene but was apprehended later that day in the neighboring Aiken County, South Carolina. He was taken into custody and held there pending extradition back to Augusta. Warrants were issued for Melton, charging him with murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime. An autopsy for Charles Case was scheduled to be performed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
