GAINESVILLE - A murder charge was filed Tuesday morning in the murder of a Lula man which occurred early Saturday at Belton Belton Bridge Park.
20-year-old James Carlton Smith of Lula died as a result of a stab wound he received during an altercation at the park.
Investigators have charged 19-year-old, James Mathew Grizzle, of Nicholson, with murder. Grizzle had been held on probation violations since being arrested later Saturday in Jackson County.
Col. Wayne Mock of the Hall County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday morning investigators with the sheriff's department and the district attorney's office interviewed numerous witnesses. Working in their favor, Col. Mock said, was the fact that Grizzle was in jail on another charge and because of the nature of that charge "would not be going anywhere."
He said witnesses continued to come forward over the course of the 72 hours between the time of Smith's murder and the time the charge was filed partly, he believes, because of the publicity in the media about the case.
Grizzle's first appearance hearing on the charge is scheduled Wednesday in Hall County Magistrate Court.
Saturday
May 4th, 2024
2:27PM
