It's been more than seven years since a woman died after her boyfriend doused her with gasoline and set her on fire.
Today.. that man pleaded guilty to her murder.
Jomekia Pope entered his plea less than two hours ago On charges of malice murder, felony murder, and first degree arson.
In 2005, Latosha Taylor lived two months undergoing treatment in Augsuta... before she died from her injuries.
Tonight, Pope faces the possibility of life in prison.
Judge Philip Brown could sentence him to life without parole....or... life with possible parole.
The sentencing is set for Monday.
Investigators say they're looking for two people in the case of a Macon woman shot in the shoulder... after she allegedly caught a ride with them last week.
They are 38 year old Diana Kennedy standing at about 5 feet one, and 37 year old Demetrius Scott, who's about 5 feet 8 inches tall.
The Bibb County Sherriff's Office thinks the couple picked up Anita McDaniel while she was looking at used cars last Thursday on Pio Nono Avenue...
As she rode in the front passenger seat.... investigators think they demanded money from McDaniel... and when she refused... shot her in the back of the shoulder.
Someone found her crying for help near a gas station at Pio Nono and Houston Avenues.
McDaniel was released from the hospital yesterday.
Kennedy and Scott are now wanted for Aggravated Assault and Armed Robbery.
They could be in a 2003 Chevy Impala, possibly tan or gold... with Georgia tag BRK0715,
If you have any information on this crime call 1-877-68-CRIME. Again that is 877-68-CRIME.
You see them...for local charities...and for statewide causes like pet adoption.
We're talking about specialty tags...and just a few years ago lawmakers voted to increase the renewal fee on them.
What you may not know is... That increased amount... Doesn't go to the non-profit organization... The tag is supporting.
Jennifer Moulliet sat down with the president of a local non-profit to see what they're doing to get that money back.
Jeff McAfee... and his family started the Joanna McAfee Childhood Cancer Foundation... After their little girl lost her battle to cancer in 2005.
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And their specialty tag... Features Joanna's silhouette.
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<we're so appreciative of the fact that the state did allow us to apply for a tag and go through the process we're so appreciative to the thousand people that had to register for the tag before it became available. >
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McAfee says about five thousand people statewide have Joanna tags on their cars ... But he says Since the state raised its price... the number of people applying for those tags have gone down...
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<the price of the renewal of the tag went up from twenty-five dollars to thirty-five dollars as a result of that people started turning their tags back in. >
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He estimates the foundation has lost about 12-thousand dollars a year in revenue since the hike.
And now the state takes in twenty-five dollars on each tag...and The Joanna McAfee Foundation sees only ten.
<so the state is actually benefiting more than they did before but the non profits are seeing no additional revenue as a result of the increase >
So he wrote a letter to State Representative Willie Talton... who he says will draft a bill and introduce it to the house... And Senator Ross Tolleson says he'll back it.
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<that money could have a positive impact on the issue of childhood cancer and I think that's more important than anything>
McAfee says he hopes Georgia will take the approach Alabama did.
<alabama charges a fifty dollar renewal fee for their tag and eight dollars and seventy--five cents goes to the state and the other forty-one dollars and a quarter goes back to the nonprofit >
Jennifer Moulliet 13 WMAZ eyewitness news.
State Rep. Willie Talton, a Warner Robins Republican, plans to introduce legislation next week that would allocate more specialty tags money to the non-profit organizations that support them.
It's also supported by state Republican Sen. Ross Tolleson of Perry, who plans to discuss the proposal with Gov. Nathan Deal.
It's the end of the line for 6 dogs. Bibb County Animal Welfare released a euthanasia list of 12 dogs with a 4:30 pm deadline.
Adopters... Rescues... and sponsors were only able to successfully adopt out half.
But tonight, Judy Le shows us some success stories.
Shannon Halstead and her husband arrived at the Bibb County Animal Welfare half and hour before the shelter opened to save a dog from death row.
Pet lovers like Halstead...came to the shelter answering the last-chance call to adopt out dogs on the euthanasia list.
<(Shane Smith Paws for Hope and Faith) All the animals, there's a few that stand out. Dutch and cashew, it'd be a shame to see them put down so we're going to see if we can bust them out>
Rescues pulled dogs and sponsors offered to pay either the 80 adoption fee....or the full cost of 130 dollars...which includes the refundable spay and neuter fee.
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<to make dogs like cartwright a little bit more adoptable, all about animals dropped off collars like this to make these dogs..that much cuter >
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Tenon says the low-kill shelter is full and that's why she released a list in hopes of saving the dogs before the 4:30 pm deadline.
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<I cant have 80 dogs because I have 37 kennels. You have to know the layout of the shelter to know what the number means>
Halstead is adopting Lali as a present for her son's 13th birthday. She's not on the list...but she's a life saved.
Judy Le 13wmaz eyewitness news
Tenon says the animals will face euthanasia tomorrow morning.
Macon city officials are learning what an auditing firm thinks about the state of the city's financial books.
Every year... an outside firm audits Macon's financial records.
In past years....those records have been turned in late....and an auditor issued critical comments about the record-keeping.
This year... the auditor only pointed out six issues in the city's accounting practices.... Things like making sure multiple people sign off on transactions before they are submitted.
We'll tell you what else the audit showed on Eyewitness News at Eleven.
Some business owners on Chapman Road in Byron say a new entrance to the road is making it harder for customers to get to them.
They're holding a meeting tomorrow to try to tackle the problem
Austin Lewis has more on this story.
Manny V-Yas...the owner of the quality inn says it used to be easy for his customers to get to his business...from the interstate.
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<Manny Vyas (V-Yas), Owner, Quality Inn: Before people would make a right and another right and they would be at the motel. >
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But now...the entrance to Chapman road is about a mile away...the intersection's traffic lights are blacked out.
Vyas says some of his customers...just pass right by...the road's entrance.
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<Manny Vyas (V-Yas), Owner, Quality Inn: The other problem is the traffic light is not up so people are driving so fast they have a hard time knwoing where to make a turn they end up half way to Fort Valley before they know where to make a turn. >
Now Vyas...and other business along this strip..have to put up makeshift signs...leading customers to them...there are street signs...but Vyas says that only helps during the day.
<Manny Vyas (V-Yas), Owner, Quality Inn: its very difficult for people to get over here in the evening the lighting is poor the traffic light is not up and they just have a hard time finding the place. >
And he says it's been hurting his bottomline since July.
<Manny Vyas (V-Yas), Owner,
Quality Inn: been down almost 20 to 30 percent ever since the road closure on top of the economy has been pretty slow to so that's hurt are business too. This just compounds the problem. >
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John David Hudson of Jeff Smith Chevrolet says they just want the project to be done...so that people can get used to the new entrance on Chapman Road.
<John David Hudson, Jeff Smith Chevrolet: We would like some, some just a finished product then we can adjust how we advertise and how we tell people how to get here, now it's go down till you see this and you see that, look for all the barrels and cones if you look for the problem then that's how you find us. >
[And that's something that some local business here...hope will change soon.
Austin Lewis 13WMAZ Eyewitness News.
Some local businesses and the city will meet tomorrow at noon at Captain Jacks on Chapman Road to talk about the problems.
Georgia Department of Transportation says they will send an area engineer.
Spokeswoman Kimberly Larson says DOT can't connect the stop lights at that intersection until they know if the utilities will be above ground or below.
She said they made the change for safety reasons due to several accidents at the old intersection.
And she said they'll consider improving the new one...with more signs.
Today with a vote, a new college came into being.
Middle Georgia College...and Macon State College...
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become Middle Georgia State College.
There's the logo right behind us.
And soon...leaders hope to make another change to that moniker...possibly tacking University onto the end instead.
Dr. John Black is the school's interim president.
Thanks so much for joining us... We understand it's a goal to aim for university status. What's involved in that?
How will the structure from two established schools come together successfully?
hat changes can staff expect as far as their jobs?
There's a tuition variance for Middle Georgia and Macon State. How do you plan to settle that?
Middle Georgia participated in intercollegiate sports. What's next in Athletics?
Thank you for joining us. Keep us posted on the future.
Frank?