In the late hours of a Super Bowl Sunday in Milledgeville, Georgia, the life of 25-year-old Walter D. French, an African American male, was tragically cut short. On the evening of February 2, 2014, while many were engrossed in the football game, the sound of gunshots pierced the air in the Litenham Trailer Park, a neighborhood also known as Harrisburg. French was seen running before he collapsed between two mobile homes.
He had been shot twice with a handgun, once in the neck and once in the abdomen.
Emergency services responded to the scene, and French was transported to a hospital in Macon. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that night. Investigators from the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office and the Milledgeville Police Department began looking into the homicide. They were able to recover the bullets from the shooting but did not find the casings, French's car keys, or his phone at the scene. It was known that French frequented the trailer park and had friends in the area.
The investigation into Walter French's murder has remained open in the years since his death. Authorities have indicated that they have a suspect in mind and are aware of a potential issue between the suspect and French. However, a lack of sufficient evidence has prevented them from making an arrest. The neighborhood was known for gang activity, specifically the 92 Blood gang, and while French had some association with known gang members, the full extent of his involvement is unclear.
The case has been hampered by a lack of cooperation from potential witnesses. Law enforcement officials have publicly urged anyone with information to come forward to help bring closure to French's family. While it is noted that French had a prior arrest record, authorities have stressed that he and his family deserve justice. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the case remains an unsolved homicide, leaving a family waiting for answers.
