A Winder man has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction on murder and other charges in the 2023 stabbing death of his girlfriend.
A release Friday by the Winder Police Department said Ralph Junior Butler, age 59, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by Piedmont Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm following a three-day trial in Barrow County Superior Court.
Butler had been found guilty on all counts in the case, including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and criminal trespassing in the August 2023 death of Yolanda Hammond, age 50, also of Winder.
The incident happened at a home on Bush Chapel Drive on the night of August 11. Butler reportedly drove to the location to confront Hammond about items he alleged she stole from him, leading to the altercation.
"As the two argued, another man at the scene tried to intervene and he and Butler began to fight. Butler struck the man causing an injury to the man’s head," Winder Police said days after the incident. "Butler then continued to argue with Hammond, ultimately stabbing Hammond repeatedly."
Butler reportedly fled the scene and was found the following morning by police at a home in Bethlehem.
The jury in the case deliberated for roughly 30 minutes before delivering the guilty verdict.
