In the quiet, early morning hours of January 9, 2020, in the rural town of Hephzibah, Georgia, a domestic dispute turned fatal, ending the life of 75-year-old James Christopher Drake. A disabled Vietnam veteran and a man who found joy in restoring old cars and woodwork, James was shot once in the head while sitting in his recliner in the home he shared with his wife of 44 years, Freda Eugenia Drake. The incident, which occurred around 6:25 a.m. on Wendell Street, shattered the calm of their neighborhood, where residents later reported hearing no gunshots.
The subsequent investigation by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office quickly focused on his 71-year-old wife. According to the assistant district attorney, Freda had 'become fed up' with her husband's behavior, which she claimed was related to a prescription pill problem. In a shocking turn of events, it was reported that after shooting her husband with a handgun, Freda went to bed. It was only later when she tried to wake him and found him unresponsive that she contacted her grandson, who then placed the call to 911. James Christopher Drake was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:30 a.m.
Freda Eugenia Drake was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a firearm in connection with her husband's death. Despite the severity of the charges and her reported admission to the crime, she was granted bond in early February 2020. An assistant district attorney noted that while James Drake's family was in a state of shock, they were not opposed to Freda being granted bond. The judge set her bond at $50,000 for the murder charge and $20,000 for the firearm charge, with conditions that she not possess a gun, adhere to a curfew, and reside with her grandson.
