Police report
Body of Appling man is found in creek at lake
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The body of an Appling man, missing on Clarks Hill Lake since Wednesday afternoon, was recovered Thursday in Rousseau Creek in Columbia County.
Kerry Mock, 60, of Lakeside Drive, was last seen Wednesday morning departing from Winfield Hills Boat Ramp No. 2 to go fishing, Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris.
Mock had a history of health problems, county Coroner Vernon Collins said. An autopsy was conducted Thursday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Augusta and determined the cause of death as accidental drowning.
Mock's wife reported that he was missing after he did not return to the boat ramp by 5 p.m. or answer repeated calls to his cell phone, Morris said.
Mock had failed to meet his wife about 1 p.m. at the boat ramp to get his lunch, Morris said.
Mock's boat was found in Rousseau Creek on Wednesday night. His body was found about 8:30 a.m. Thursday near the area where his boat was discovered.
Authorities from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter assisted in the search.
State turns down killer's request for early parole
A man convicted 18 years ago for the kidnapping and murder of a Lincoln County woman has been denied parole by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, authorities announced Wednesday.
Jessie Leroy Garnett, 50, was convicted in 1989 of the murder and kidnapping of Annette B. Floyd. He received two life terms, plus 20 years for a theft by taking charge, according to Department of Corrections records.
Floyd's body was found July 25, 1987, in the Savannah River in Columbia County near Thurmond Dam, police said. Authorities determined Floyd had been tied up and thrown off the bridge over the dam and died from injuries suffered in the fall to the water, according to a news release.
Garnett had been seen the day before driving Floyd's car, according to the release. Lincoln County authorities found Floyd's home had been forcibly entered and began searching for her and Garnett. Floyd's vehicle was later found near Garnett's home.
Garnett was denied parole Sept. 27, a parole board spokeswoman said.
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Theft of compact discs yields shoplifting arrest
An Augusta woman was charged with shoplifting deputies say employees spotted her taking compact discs from a Martinez store.
Angela Michelle Capps, 39, of the 4000 block of Sibley Road, remained in the Columbia County Detention Center Friday on $1,100 bond.
A manager of Kmart in West Town Shopping Center told deputies he saw Capps conceal CDs in her purse and leave the store without paying. When a store alarm activated, Capps refused to stop and fled to a nearby nail salon.
Store employees detained the woman outside the salon after seeing her try to take the CDs out of her purse.
Man is charged with stealing beer from store
A Thomson man was arrested late Tuesday and charged with stealing beer from a Martinez convenience store.
Wayne Broome, 47, of the 1800 block of Salem Road, was charged with shoplifting. He remained in the Columbia County Detention Center Friday on $1,100 bond.
A clerk at Enmark on Bobby Jones Expressway told deputies a man entered the store around 10 p.m. and concealed a beer in his pants. Later, a deputy patrolling the area saw Broome, who matched the description of the thief, in the parking lot of a nearby business.
The deputy said Broome was intoxicated and reported that Broome admitted to taking a beer and pulled out a 40-ounce beer that had been hidden up the right leg of his pants.
Sisters arrested on shoplifting charges
Two sisters were arrested on shoplifting charges Monday after a Martinez store manager tracked the women to a Deans Bridge Road day care center after they left his store with merchandise.
Elizabeth Ada Staten, 18, of Circular Drive, was released Tuesday from the Columbia County Detention Center on $1,100. Her sister, Latasha M. Staten, 24, of the same address, remained in jail Wednesday on $1,100 and a probation hold.
The Kmart manager told deputies he saw two women take three black leather purses to the lingerie section, where they met a third woman. The third person placed lingerie and socks into two of the purses.
One of the women then took a purse into cosmetics and placed cosmetics and perfumes into the bag. The women then concealed the purses in a bag they had taken into the store.
The manager followed them to the day care, where one of the three women went inside. Richmond County authorities arrived and detained Elizabeth and Latasha Staten.
Columbia County deputies later arrested the sisters, who refused to identify the third woman.
Burglars cut hole in wall, steal floor products
The owner of an Evans flooring business told deputies Oct. 19 someone cut a hole in the side of the business to steal floor glue and finish.
An owner of Hardwood Floors and More, 4750 Washington Road, said her husband discovered a 2-foot-by 4-foot hole in the metal exterior wall. She saidt 48 4-gallon buckets of floor glue and an unknown amount of floor finish was missing.
The incident occurred sometime the night of Oct. 18 or early the next morning.