In the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 8, 2020, the sense of community in a tight-knit Hawkinsville, Georgia neighborhood was shattered by an act of violence. Inside his home on Jelks Street, 39-year-old William Anthony Whitehead was with his family when an intruder, identified as 32-year-old Tyree Williams, also of Hawkinsville, forced his way into the residence at approximately 5:15 a.m.
The intrusion turned fatal when Williams shot Whitehead.
Emergency services were called, and Whitehead was quickly transported to Taylor Regional Hospital, but the injuries he sustained were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office to lead the homicide investigation. As news of the shooting spread, a sense of shock and fear gripped the neighborhood, with residents expressing their disbelief at such a violent crime happening in their peaceful community. This was noted as the first homicide in the county for that year.
Following the incident, law enforcement launched a search for Tyree Williams, and arrest warrants were issued for malice murder, aggravated assault, and home invasion. The search for Williams was extensive, involving helicopters and K-9 units. The day after the shooting, on Thursday, July 9, 2020, Tyree Williams was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged in connection with the death of William Whitehead.
