Felycya Harris lived her life on the internet, and her death was documented online as well.
Harris’ social media presence, however, may be the key to unraveling the mystery of who is responsible for her execution style death.
On Oct. 3, 2020, shortly after 2 p.m., a family met at Meadowbrook Park in south Augusta for a large get-together. As they set up for their picnic, they noticed what appeared to be a person sleeping under an adjacent covered picnic area.
MORE: Murders Unsolved in Augusta: Charles Watkins Jr.
Instead, a family member who went to investigate found a body with blood seeping from the nose and mouth and a pool of blood on the ground below the victim’s head. Official reports on the slaying do not reveal the identity of the family or the individual who discovered the body.
Neighbors who live near the park would later report hearing what sounded to be a gunshot coming from there, and some reported seeing two men fleeing, but they did not call 911 to report what they saw and heard.
[adrotate banner=”31″]
As the police made their way to the scene, someone in the picnic party recognized the victim as transgender social media influencer Felycya Harris. This unknown person took a picture of the body and posted it on the internet. The online picture could not be located, despite a thorough search.
Shortly after the police arrived, Harris’ mother, Clara Taylor, approached officers and indicated that her son had seen the photo of the body on social media and that the victim was her child, Felycya.
Felycya Harris was born Antaun Benjamin Harris and had lived as a woman named Felycya for years. According to her mother, she had created multiple platforms on social media including Snapchat, where she sought social media fame as a transgender activist.
Apparently, Felycya Harris spent a lot of time on Snapchat, which is a service that airs a video once and then deletes it for further viewing.
According to multiple sources, Harris was known to invite men to tryst with her and would capture the sexual acts on camera. The sources say that if the men caught on camera with Harris did not pay her, she would post the encounter on Snapchat.
One unnamed source reported seeing footage of sexual activity posted on the app but could not identify any of the men with Harris.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
However, two names keep surfacing in connection with the homicide. Multiple sources say that one person of interest is a one-time social media influencer and former Richmond County Sheriff’s deputy, who shall not be named, and the other is an alleged hitman-for-hire who goes by the street name “Gunslinger.”
Both the former deputy and Gunslinger reportedly hung out at what appears to be an auto repair shop on Spring Grove Drive.
The nondescript building sits amid a sea of junked vehicles and does not have a sign other than “no refunds” spray painted on the corrugated tin door.
According to Taylor, just before Harris died, she dropped her car at a garage on Spring Grove Drive for bumper repair work and was driving a rental car.
Taylor said she believes a conspiracy occurred after Harris’ slaying to cover up evidence. One of Harris’ roommates accessed her email and social media accounts and changed the passwords, according to Taylor. That roommate then disconnected her own cell phone and disappeared.
The former deputy also deleted his social media accounts and sought treatment out of state for mental health issues. He has since moved away from Augusta.
When Taylor went to pick up Harris’ car at the garage, she found that the vehicle had been stripped down almost to the chassis.
The former deputy acknowledged in a phone interview that he knew Harris. He said they were friends on social media. In a 10-minute phone interview, he said he knew nothing about the case except that he wasn’t working when Harris was killed. He said later in the interview that he had heard the case investigation was stalled.
MORE: Murders Unsolved in Augusta: Isaiah Randolph Selman Jr.
“From what I heard, they have no leads on it, man. They have no leads. They don’t know who it is or who it may be. They have nothing,” the former deputy said.
What the former deputy heard about the case was correct until recently. It had stalled, but that has since changed, according to sources close to the story, including Harris’ mother.
Taylor met with the police earlier this week, and said investigators told her that the case remains very active and that they are looking at “multiple possible suspects.”
Harris unwittingly left a crucial piece of evidence behind. She was in such a hurry get to the park the day of her death that she left her cell phone at home. The phone is in police custody.
Anyone with evidence in this case should 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.
[adrotate banner=”25″]
