Hello everyone. Thank you for joining us.
I'm Frank Malloy.
And I'm Leah Johnson.
This is Eyewitness News at Six.
Tonight's top story...
Three people have been charged with murder in the death of a Macon woman.
Police made the announcement this morning... But gave few details about how 58-year-old Gail Spencer died.
They arrested 18-year old Michael Kelly.. 23-year old Courtney Kelly and 38-year old Tracy Jones
Brittiny Barber has more on the case..
Macon Police arrested three people.. For the murder of 58-year old Gail Spencer.
According to the report.. A neighbor called officers out Spencer's home last weekend because she noticed some things out of the ordinary.
" When we arrived the house as secure so we called the fire department to make entry for us. Once we made entry, we noticed their was a dead body inside."
Police then began an investigation.. As they say they do with every death they respond to... But Chief Mike Burns says investigators were unsure at first how Spencer died....but she had no visible injuries.
"At the time we did not know it was a homicide and the way we felt if it turned out to be a suicide it really was nobody's business."
He said autopsy results showed Spencer's death was a homicide...but he would not explain why.
Now the three suspects are being held at the Bibb County Jail.
They had their initial court appearances Wednesday afternoon before Magistrate Judge Barbara Harris.
She explained the charges against them... Told them she would not set a bond.
We tried to talk to people in Spencer's Ingleside Woods neighborhood... But one one answered the doors.
We also went to the south Macon apartment complex where Tracy Jones and Brett Kelly lived.
Again....none of their neighbors would speak to us.
"Because it's an on-going investigation we will not comment right now about what was discovered, what evidence has been collected and what has been found because we need to preserve the integrity of the investigation and the prosecution going forward."
Police continue to investigate the murder.. That includes combing through Spencer's car.... that was missing for three days...but found Tuesday in South Macon.
Brittiny Barber 13WMAZ Eyewitness news
Chief Mike Burns would not confirm the relationship between the victim and the suspects.
A law enforcement official did tell us that Tracey Jones and Gail Spencer worked together in the office of Macon lawyer Calder Pinkston.
He said the two Kellys are brother and sister... And he believes the motive was money.
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Deputies cited the driver of a day care bus involved in an accident this morning... with failure to yield.
The bus flipped over around 8 a-m.
Seven children were on-board, but none was seriously hurt.
Captain Billy Mitchell says bus driver Anitria Alexander attempted to cross the intersection, and pulled out in front of a truck.
Mitchell says the truck hit the bus..which flipped on its side and landed on the hood of an SUV.
According to the daycare's owner Tony Foskey... Alexander started working for Children's Friend in 2003... and has a clean driving record.
Children's Friend runs 17 day care centers around Central Georgia, including the one on Bill Conn Parkway in Gray.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and one local group is honoring victims and survivors tonight.
According to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, Georgia ranks 10th in the nation for its rate of men killing women.
In 2010, domestic violence agencies took more than 71-thousand crisis calls in the state.
The same year, more than 75 hundred victims and children sought refuge in domestic violence shelters in Georgia.
and there were 130 deaths related to domestic violence in Georgia in 2010.
Judy Le joins us now live from Macon City Hall, where survivors of domestic violence are gathered to honor their journey out of violence, and to remember those who lost the fight.
Several agencies are available to help victims of domestic violence in Central Georgia... including Crisis Line and Safe House..
Their 24-hour crisis hotline number is 478-745-9292... again that number is 478-745-9292.
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"We will file suit against the state of Georgia to repeal the voter ID law on new federal grounds ... applause."
That's Michael Berlon, the Chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party getting applause from fellow Democrats at a gathering in Macon after announcing the party's plan to sue the state over its voter picture ID law. Tom George was there there for the announcement.
Frank, the Democrats say Georgia's photo ID law is one of the strictest in the country, and they decided to file suit because others states with even less strict ID laws including Pennsylvania have already been blocked or overturned by the courts ... They say the law is just a political move by Republicans to try and discourage voter turnout, and even though Georgia's law has already been upheld by federal court, they're encouraged by the recent rulings in the other states.
"Most of the voter ID laws are aimed at certain segments of the population that have a tendency to vote Democratic. I mean, the voter ID laws are nothing more than an attempt to try to suppress votes rather than get people to the polls . We believe there ought to be full access. I mean when people tell you they have all these instances of voter fraud, it's just a lie."
But Republican Senator Cecil Staton, the architect of Georgia's ID law, pointed out that Georgia's law has already been upheld by the federal courts. He says he sees this as a Democratic attempt to manipulate the election.
He says even with photo ID in 2008, Georgia had the highest African-American turnout in its history.
"I can't fathom for a moment why anyone would object to the citizens of Georgia or anywhere in our country having to show an ID and prove that they are who they say they are when they come to vote. We have to do it in every other aspect of our lives, and I don't think its too much to ask, or most reasonable people don't think its too much to ask for us to show an ID when we go and vote."
The Democrats say they plan to file the suit as early as next week ...and that they may file it in Macon's federal district court
That, they say, is because middle Georgia is the most likely place to find voters who have been hurt by the law.
Today, a federal judge in South Carolina upheld a similar law in the state ... But said the policy won't be in place for this November's general election
Berlon also says the Democrat's possible suit wouldn't affect next month's vote in Georgia...either.
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The next chairman of the Bibb county commission will be in office for only about a year before the consolidated government takes over the city and county.
Still, current chairman Sam Hart and challenger Tom Wagner each say they want the job.
Hart's a Democrat...Wagoner a Republican. Candace Adorka sat down with them to find out more.
Before he sat in this seat, the chairman's seat, Sam Hart spent 10 years as the commissioner from district one. The last four years, Hart presided over a commission dealing with a dwindling budget, absorbing city departments, taxes and other major issues. He says they've made strides in the right direction, and a vote for him, will be a vote for a smoother transition into a consolidated government.
"Last 4 years I thin we've had a lot of successes a lot of positive momentum and a lot of good news. We've got the service delivery strategy, we got the SPLOST done, we got consolidation done and we're working regionally to see if we can't bring economic development together for our region. This isn't time to change. IT's time again to have somebody who understands clearly where you're trying to go and how to get there. So i think right now for the positive momentum and for the continuity, you need someone in place who understands that."
Tom Wagoner is the man looking to unseat Hart. The 64-year-old is C-E-O of Core Management resources group-- it's a company that helps other businesses provide health insurance to employees. Wagner started the business 32 years ago, he says that business mindset is just what Bibb County needs going into consolidation.
"I'm a businessman, and all of my life, I'm dealing with budgets, I'm dealing with yearly planning and things of that nature, I have come up with my 365 day plan and I have listed 10 things that I intend to accomplish or work with the other commissioners to accomplish, over the next 365 days so we're better positioned to go through this plan, transition period and get to the new government. So I don't wanna see us sit here and waste 12 to 14 months not really getting anything done and waiting."
My conversation with each candidate covered issues like leadership, economic development. You can find those extended interviews on our homepage 13 wmaz.com. Reporting form the Bibb County Courthouse, Candace Adorka 13WMAZ Eyewitness News.
Neither Hart nor Wagoner would commit to running for a seat on the consolidated government... though they wouldn't rule it out. Voters will decide between the two November 6.
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At Bloomfield Middle School... a 7th grade math teacher shows students how to have fun tackling problems..
Beverly Williams is this week's winner of My Teacher is Tops. Williams says she was surprised by the honor.
Her students say she uses computer games to make math more fun for the entire class..
Williams says she teaches students to learn that they can always find the answer to life's problems...
Beverly Williams: "Well with math you got to keep going until you get the answer and it's one of the things that you have to do with the common core you have to keep going, you can't just oh I don't know how to do it I don't want to do it you keep going and that's what uh I'm trying to instill in my students. "
If you want to nominate a top teacher, send a one page handwritten letter to 1314 Gray Highway... Macon Georgia 31211.
Include your name, your teacher's name, your school, and remember, neatness counts.