On a Saturday evening in Albany, Georgia, 34-year-old Thomas 'Choppa' Isaiah Harrold, a Black man, was shot and killed, marking the first homicide of 2020 in Dougherty County. The incident occurred on January 18, 2020, at a residence on East Park Court. Harrold was pronounced dead at the scene from at least one gunshot wound.
Responding to the incident, the Dougherty County Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation launched a joint investigation. At the scene of the shooting, authorities arrested 24-year-old Randy Lee Barney. He was subsequently charged with the murder of Thomas Harrold. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting continued as the case proceeded through the legal system.
In the months that followed, the case against Randy Lee Barney Jr. moved forward. A Dougherty County grand jury indicted him on multiple serious charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The case was scheduled for a jury trial to commence on March 14, 2022. As of early 2023, court and jail records indicated that the charges against Barney, including murder and aggravated assault with a firearm, remained active, suggesting ongoing legal proceedings. However, the final disposition of these charges, including a verdict or sentencing, has not been made publicly available.
