Five Wanted for Death of Woman Discovered in Ellijay Residence

Gilmer County Courthouse

Ellijay, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has five warrants out on individuals that they claim are connected to the death of a young woman.

Police and investigators discovered the woman after a wellness check was performed at a home in Ellijay. The woman had been reported missing for four days at the time her body was discovered. No details have been released as to how the individuals are connected to the incident, but police have set out on a serious search.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will provide a closer look at the offense of murder in today's post.

Murder in Georgia

Murder in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §16-5-1(a) as:

A person commits the offense of murder when he unlawfully and with malice aforethought, express or implied, causes the death of another human being.

There are a few very important terms that set murder apart from other homicide offenses in Georgia.

Our courts define malice as a wicked or corrupt motive or an intention to do evil and which the result is fatal and an unlawful objective to kill without justification or mitigation.

Express malice is the deliberate intention to unlawfully take the life of another human being, which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. Malice shall be implied where no considerable provocation appears and where all the circumstances of the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart.

It probably goes without saying that the criminal offense of murder is classified as a felony in the state of Georgia. The penalty if convicted of murder is either life in prison without the possibility of parole, a life sentence, or the death penalty.

Practice Note

If you have been arrested in the state of Georgia, do not wait to contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney today. We can help you now.