October 2021 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the slaying of William Carter, 27 years old at time of death, in a case that remains unsolved.
The Audubon Place subdivision off South Augusta’s Meadowbrook Drive is generally a quiet bedroom community with a relatively low crime rate. However, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, neighbors near 3618 Audubon Dr. were awakened in the early morning hours Wednesday to the sound of multiple gunshots.
Several people living nearby heard the shots and called 911, according to the police report on the case.
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When officers arrived, they found two shaken people inside the house and the body of William Carter in a crouched position kneeling in front of a recliner chair. Next to the body on a nearby couch was an upturned table missing two legs and an upturned plastic chair.
Leroy Carter, the victim’s brother, told police that he and his wife were sitting on the couch along with the victim in the living room when the front door to the house was violently kicked in and a man began shooting in Carter’s direction.
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The unknown assailant did not speak a word, but began firing and then turned and fled on foot, according to information the Leroy Carter gave police when they arrived.
Police records indicate that neighbors who heard the gunshots did not report seeing or hearing a car fleeing the area.
The victim died of a gunshot wound to the face, according to the coroner’s report. Carter had also been shot several times in the lower extremities.
The crime was officially listed as a home invasion, but the witnesses said the suspect never actually crossed the threshold of the home. Investigators noted that the front door was hit with considerable force, as the dead bolt lock was busted clean out of the frame.
Officials found no spent shells in the area where the shooting occurred. There are no notations as to the caliber of the weapon because the body was sent to Atlanta for a full autopsy.
According to the police report, robbery was not the motive and, due to the circumstances, it was apparent that Carter was the intended victim as the assailant never turned the gun on the other two people in the room.
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Carter did have a prior criminal record. In 2001, when he was 17 years old, he pled guilty to burglary and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He served eight years.
According to Mark Bowen, who was a sheriff’s investigator prior to becoming Richmond County coroner, a case such as Carter’s is one of those that grows cold very quickly. Even though there were eyewitnesses, no real description of the shooter ever emerged.
Bowen says a case like this could be anything from a gang hit to someone’s angry spouse seeking revenge over an affair.
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“Those first 48 hours are crucial. We are all over the streets looking for any evidence or leads. But with a case like this, once the 48-hour window has passed, you are going to have a very tough time unless someone eventually comes forward,” Bowen said.
The 48-hour window in this case expired a decade ago, and there has been not a whisper on the streets as to who wanted Carter dead or why.
If you have any information about the slaying of William Carter, please contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 821-1020 or The Augusta Press at (706) 834-8677.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Reporter of The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com. Anna Porzio is a researcher and editorial assistant. Reach her at anna@theaugustapress.com.
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