On the evening of April 20, 2019, James Jason Burnett, a 43-year-old white male, was fatally shot at a residence on Bill Anderson Road in Dahlonega, Georgia. Burnett, a local contractor and member of the Philippi Baptist Church, was born on February 22, 1976, in Hall County. The shooting, which took place shortly after 7:30 p.m., prompted an investigation by the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation centered around an altercation that occurred at the home of 23-year-old Axel Ricky Willis. According to sources close to the investigation, Burnett had gone to Willis's residence where his estranged wife, Heather, was living. An exchange of words escalated, and Burnett allegedly struck Willis with a baseball bat, leaving visible marks, before being shot. While some social media accounts claimed Burnett was shot in the back, investigative sources stated he was shot in the face. Several people, including Heather Burnett, witnessed the incident.
Axel Willis was arrested in connection with the shooting. Initially, he was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana after a small amount was found in the home. Willis was taken to the Lumpkin County Detention Center and placed on a 48-hour hold before being released on a $1,200 bond on April 23, 2019. As of late April 2019, no charges had been filed against Willis in relation to the shooting itself.
Sources close to the investigation indicated a high probability—a '99 percent certainty'—that the shooting would be ruled a case of self-defense under Georgia's 'stand your ground' law. This law does not require a person to retreat and allows for the use of force in self-defense. The Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney's office was to make the final determination on any charges related to the shooting pending the conclusion of the GBI's investigation.
