In the quiet community of the Village Green subdivision in Macon, Georgia, a tragedy unfolded that would forever alter the lives of a young family. It was on August 12, 2019, that 26-year-old Morgan Smith, a mother of two, was found dead in her home on Walmar Drive. Her two small children, both under the age of five, awoke to discover their mother unresponsive and bravely sought help from a nearby Macon Water Authority employee, who then alerted the authorities.
Investigators arrived at the scene around 11 a.m. to find Smith with a fatal gunshot wound. The children were safely taken from the home by deputies and placed in the care of their grandmother.
The investigation into the death of the young mother soon focused on 32-year-old Roderick William Chester of Jackson, Georgia. Bibb County Sheriff's Violent Crime Investigators identified Chester as the primary suspect, and he was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Morgan Smith. He was also served with a warrant for an unrelated charge of simple battery. Chester was taken into custody and is being held at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center without bond.
As the investigation progressed, details emerged about the relationship between Smith and Chester. Smith's grandmother, Daphene Tyson, revealed that her granddaughter had been in a relationship with Chester but had decided to end it due to his increasingly aggressive behavior. In the days leading up to her death, Smith had grown more fearful after Chester had broken a window at her home. Chester has a prior criminal record, which includes convictions for aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a peace officer. He had been released from Lee State Prison in June 2013. The case against Roderick Chester is ongoing, with a commitment hearing scheduled to present the evidence against him as the family seeks justice for Morgan and closure for her two young children.
