A Georgia Pastor Was Gunned Down While Working On His Roof. Three Decades Later, A Suspect Has Been Charged

A fishy has been charged 3 decades aft a Georgia pastor was gunned down while moving connected nan tile of his church.

Zachary B. Harper, a 47-year-old from Hazlehurst, has been charged pinch murder successful relationship pinch nan 1996 decease of 54-year-old James Hand, nan Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday successful a press release.

Hand was a pastor astatine nan Full Gospel Church of Snipesville successful Jeff Davis County.

On June 1, 1996, deputies from nan section sheriff’s agency recovered Hand’s assemblage pinch aggregate gunshot wounds connected nan tile of his church, according to authorities investigators.

Hand had been repairing nan tile erstwhile he was fatally shot, authorities said.

“Over nan past 30 years, nan GBI’s Regional Investigative Office successful Douglas and nan Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office person remained committed to seeking answers successful Hand’s death,” Wednesday’s property merchandise read.

State investigators didn’t specify what led them to Harper, but alternatively conscionable cited “additional information” gathered during nan execution investigation.

Harper was charged pinch 1 count of felony execution and 1 count of malice murder. He is presently serving a life condemnation connected unrelated charges astatine Jenkins Correctional Facility.

Authorities successful nan neighboring authorities of Florida precocious solved different execution from much than 14 years agone acknowledgment to advancements successful DNA testing.

Calvin Washington was charged pinch execution successful relationship pinch nan “execution-style” sidesplitting of Ying Sun during an equipped robbery astatine a erstwhile China Wok edifice successful September 2012, nan Orange County Sheriff’s Office wrote connected societal media Wednesday.

“Detectives were capable to nexus Washington to nan execution and equipped robbery done DNA grounds recovered from clothing, gloves, and money collected during nan investigation,” nan sheriff’s agency said.

Washington was charged pinch first-degree execution and robbery pinch a firearm.

He is presently serving 30 years successful situation successful relationship pinch an unrelated incident successful which he “beat his woman and stabbed his neighbour who came to her aid,” nan sheriff’s agency said.