In the quiet of a Crawford County, Georgia morning on April 7, 2017, a domestic situation turned tragically violent, ending the life of 55-year-old Kenneth Nolan 'Kenny' Hutcheson. A tow truck operator from Byron, Hutcheson was a man who enjoyed the simple pleasures of riding motorcycles, fishing, and tinkering with things, a beloved father and grandfather whose life was abruptly cut short.
The chain of events leading to Hutcheson's death began with his girlfriend's attempt to seek a
restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, Thomas Gary Palmer. On the morning they were due in court, Hutcheson and his girlfriend returned to his residence on Berlyn Drive. Unbeknownst to them, Palmer, then 61, lay in wait. As Hutcheson's girlfriend ascended the steps to the house, a single gunshot rang out. She turned to see Hutcheson on the ground, and Palmer holding a gun.
What followed was a harrowing ordeal for Hutcheson's girlfriend. After witnessing the fatal shooting, she was forcibly taken by Palmer, who hit her with the gun and pushed her into Hutcheson's truck. He held her captive as they drove to a store on Hartley Bridge Road, then to a house in Macon, and eventually into Monroe County. Seizing an opportunity when Palmer exited the vehicle, the woman bravely locked the doors and drove to a nearby convenience store, where she called for help.
Law enforcement officers from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to the area and found Palmer walking along the road. When they attempted to apprehend him, he opened fire, leading to a shootout with deputies before he was ultimately taken into custody. A subsequent search of Palmer's home in Lizella uncovered a marijuana grow operation and suspected methamphetamine.
In August 2020, Thomas Gary Palmer pleaded guilty to malice murder in Crawford County Superior Court. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He will have to serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for release.
