An Augusta man accused of murder in the fatal shooting of his brother-in-law will face possible indictment by the grand jury.
On Tuesday, May 17, at the conclusion of a Richmond County Civil Court preliminary hearing, the judge found probable cause to send the murder charge against Carlos Figueroa, 29, to the grand jury for its consideration.
Figueroa and three other young men are each charged with murder in the March 18 death of 25-year-old Alan Newsome that occurred near Figueroa’s home in an Ulm Road trailer park in Hephzibah.
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Richmond County Sheriff Investigator Walter McNeil testified Tuesday that the victim and his wife had gone downtown to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day March 17. They were asked to leave a downtown club after an argument, which continued once the couple was outside, McNeil said.
Newsome’s wife spotted her brother, Figueroa, and went to him. The investigator testified that another argument began between Newsome and Figueroa and the three teens Figueroa was with that night. When the argument broke up, Figueroa told Newsome that Newsome knew where to find him.
Newsome drove his wife to her parents’ home and left, McNeil said. Because she had left her cell in his car, she was able to track Newsome’s location. He went to Ulm Road, the investigator said.
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Investigators at the scene found Newsome dead with a gunshot to the head, McNeil said. No witnesses came forward at the scene, and Figueroa wasn’t there, the investigator said. The three young men with Figueroa were arrested first. They were Brentin Coleman, 19; T’zaiah L. Dukes, 17; and Ortegas D. Jones, 17.
Dukes told McNeil that Newsome came to trailer park and started a fight with him, then the others jumped in. He indicated that Figueroa was the one who shot Newsome, the detective said.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
