Evan Dewayne Garner was a 38-year-old White man living in Columbus, Georgia. On a memorial page, he was remembered by a loved one as a nice, caring father who was protective of the people he loved. His life was cut short during a dispute inside a family home in the summer of 2024.
On the night of Thursday, July 25, 2024, Garner was at a residence in the 700 block of Parkhill Drive.
According to police testimony, he was watching a movie with his girlfriend, her daughter, and her 17-year-old son, William Burgess. A verbal altercation broke out between Garner and his girlfriend. Burgess reportedly left the room during the argument, then returned and shot Garner once in the head. Columbus Police officers were dispatched to the home at 10:46 p.m. and found Garner unresponsive. Emergency medical services were unable to revive him, and a deputy coroner pronounced him dead at the scene at 11:27 p.m.
The Columbus Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit immediately began an investigation. They arrested Burgess, who was identified as Garner’s stepson. During the investigation, an officer testified that Burgess made a spontaneous statement, claiming his intention was to shoot the television but that Garner had "got in the way" of the projectile. An autopsy was scheduled for Garner by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Burgess was charged with murder, family violence, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Recorder's Court on August 1, 2024, but he waived his appearance. A judge ordered that Burgess be held without bond on all charges and undergo a mental health evaluation. The case was bound over to be heard in Superior Court.
As of August 2024, William Burgess remained in custody without bond, awaiting further court proceedings. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Sgt. Michael Dahnke at 706-225-4929. Callers can remain anonymous.
