An Augusta man implicated in two homicides discovered hours apart in April was denied bond Friday, June 3.
Kelvin D. Lewis, 33, appeared for his Richmond County Superior Court bond hearing via teleconference Friday. He is accused of murder in the shooting deaths of Johnny Coleman and Brittany Dougherty on April 18.
The body of Coleman, 72, was found first early that morning when a passing motorist on Old Savannah Road saw his body on the road in front of Perry’s Pig barbeque restaurant. He had been shot in the upper right thigh, said Assistant District Attorney Stetson Cromer.
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Video recording at the restaurant revealed Coleman standing outside the building when a white SUV pulls up, the flash of a gunshot is seen and Coleman reacts as if shot, Cromer said. A witness told investigators that he had heard gunshots on Seventh Avenue near Old Savannah Road and saw an SUV a few hours before Coleman was found, Cromer said.
As Richmond County Sheriff investigators were working on Coleman’s fatal shooting, the body of 29-year-old Dougherty was discovered in front of 1504 Conklin Ave.
At first officers weren’t sure what killed her, but it was determined she had been shot several times, Cromer said. The autopsy later revealed the possibility of sexual assault. Evidence left behind provided DNA that was matched to Lewis, Cromer said.
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A cash app card found near Dougherty’s body was traced back to Lewis, Cromer said. Investigators later learned that Lewis had gotten his SUV stuck in mud on Conklin Avenue and called for a tow.
Lewis’ criminal history includes a 2006 carjacking, 2017 possession of cocaine and theft, 2019 theft, and he has 2020 pending charges of fleeing and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Defense attorney Caitlin Angelette told the judge that Lewis did have a criminal history, but he earned a GED, was working and the father of six children. She stressed it would be helpful for his attorney to have him on bond to help with his defense.
Chief Judge Daniel J. Craig denied bond, finding Lewis could pose a danger to the community.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
