James Edward Butler Jr

A 27-year-old man, James Edward Butler Jr., lost his life in a shooting that occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, November 11, 2017. The incident took place at a residence on Hodges Street in Metter, Georgia, where another individual, 28-year-old Byron Brown, was also shot and wounded. When Metter police were dispatched to the scene around 12:30 a.m., they found Butler deceased. Brown was airlifted to a hospital in Savannah for medical treatment.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist with the homicide investigation. Their efforts soon identified 29-year-old Akeem Ajima Lanier as the primary suspect. Investigators learned that Butler and Lanier were acquaintances and had engaged in a dispute, during which both men were armed. An autopsy confirmed that Butler's death was the result of a single gunshot wound.

Warrants were issued for Lanier's arrest on multiple charges, including murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Lanier remained at large for a period, prompting a search involving the U.S. Marshals Service and the Candler County Sheriff's Office.

On Friday, January 5, 2018, law enforcement located and arrested Lanier without incident at a residence on North Leroy Street in Metter. During the arrest, authorities also discovered narcotics and a firearm inside the residence. The Statesboro Herald reported that Lanier pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison.