In the late afternoon of Monday, March 10, 2014, a day that began like any other in the wooded areas of Brunswick, Georgia, ended in unforeseen tragedy for William Joseph 'Jody' Crooms. The 66-year-old man was enjoying a day of target practice with a lifelong friend, a pastime familiar and cherished in the quiet outdoors of Glynn County. As the day unfolded, what was meant to be a leisurely activity between friends took a devastating turn.
Crooms and his 65-year-old friend, Gary Drury,
were engrossed in their target shooting off Camp Road. At some point, Crooms wandered into the woods, tragically behind the very target his friend was aiming at. Unaware of Crooms's change in location, Drury discharged his weapon. A single gunshot echoed through the trees.
A short time later, a sense of unease settled over Drury as he realized his friend was no longer in sight. A search of the surrounding woods led to a harrowing discovery. Crooms was found behind the target, having sustained a single, fatal gunshot wound. Emergency services were called, but it was too late. William Joseph Crooms was pronounced deceased at 7:09 p.m.
The Glynn County Police responded to the incident, which they initially classified as an accidental shooting. In the immediate aftermath, no charges were filed against a distraught Gary Drury. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of his friend was initiated to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the fatal accident. William Joseph Crooms, a lifelong resident of Glynn County, was remembered by his family as an avid hunter and fisherman who found his greatest joy in the simplicity of the great outdoors.
