Cause of death, identity released in Banks County murder

HOMER - The Banks County Sheriff's Office has released more details of last week's homicide near Homer. 

According to Sgt. Carissa McFaddin, the GBI has positively identified the victim as 48-year-old Sonya Gale Phillips of 1151 McDonald Circle, Homer, where the death was discovered. 

The cause of death was ligature strangulation and blunt force head injury. 

According to McFaddin, Phillips resided at the home with Billy Charles Lewallen, who has been charged in the death. 

There was no previous reported domestic violence in Banks County between Phillips and Lewallen, McFaddin said.