FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
5:45 a.m. , Monday, July 6th, 2015
Sheriff Investigating Shooting Death, Arrest Made in Connection
Shortly after midnight on July 6th, deputy sheriffs were dispatched to a private residence on Baxter Road in the Dews Pond community in unincorporated Gordon County in response to a report of a woman having been found unresponsive. Upon arrival, deputies located the body of a 35 year old woman who’d been shot. Deputies and Sheriff’s detectives have been on the scene for several hours, and a Crime Scene Unit from the local office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is assisting detectives with the collection and processing of evidence. Detectives have questioned a number of witnesses, and have executed a search warrant at the home where the body was discovered. The identity of the victim is not being released at this time pending notification of relatives. Investigating officers have reason to believe that person(s) involved in this event fled the scene in an automobile.
Authorities are on the lookout for a dark blue, 2008 Nissan ‘Xterra’ automobile, bearing Tennessee license plate R6278L in connection with this investigation. Anyone seeing this vehicle is requested to not approach it and to report it immediately to 911/law enforcement.
Photo depicting Sheriff’s Office personnel on Baxter Road, July 6th, 2015
UPDATE: 1:35 p.m. Monday, July 6th
1:35 p.m., July 6th: authorities are searching for Fred Jason “Freddie” Charles, age 35, a white/male described as being 5’10 in height, 250 lbs weight, with brown hair and hazel eyes, in connection with this investigation. He is believed to be accompanied by a second, unidentified white/male and occupying the dark blue Nissan ‘Xterra’ bearing Tennessee license plate R6278L, which is reported to have a large “New England Patriots” decal on the rear window. Anyone seeing ‘Freddie’ Charles or the vehicle in question should NOT approach him or the automobile but should notify 911 and/or law enforcement authorities immediately.
Fred Jason “Freddie” Charles
UPDATE…UPDATE…UPDATE… 3 p.m. Monday, July 6th, 2015
Fred Jason “Freddie” Charles has been APPREHENDED by Gordon County deputy sheriffs in a wooded area near Dews Pond at approximately 2:40 p.m. today. Detectives are also detaining and questioning a second individual regarding with this case. NO OTHER persons are being sought in connection with this investigation.
UPDATE…UPDATE…UPDATE… 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, July 7th, 2015
Fred Jason “Freddie” Charles will be charged with the murder of Stephanie Valerie Daniel Strickland, age 35. He was arrested yesterday afternoon by Gordon County deputy sheriffs who found him hiding in a thickly wooded area near Dews Pond. He did not resist arrest. He is now being held in the county jail. A second man has been detained for questioning, and Sheriff’s detectives are still following a number of leads and questioning a number of potential witnesses. The stolen vehicle has been recovered from a remote location on US Forest Service land in Chattooga County with help from Rangers from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Sheriff’s Air Unit has been deployed to search for additional physical evidence. Detectives and GBI Crime Scene personnel are executing a second search warrant for evidence, and the victim’s body has been sent to the GBI Crime Laboratory in Decatur, Georgia for a post mortem examination.
Sheriff Ralston said, “The murder of Ms. Daniel was senseless. It leaves children without a mother. The swift resolution of the investigation was a direct result of the high level of cooperation between my Office and the other agencies that assisted so much in solving this case: the Region 1 Office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson, and Chatooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader. My sincere thanks to all of the officers for their aid to us in this matter. I’d also like to recognize and thank all of the ordinary citizens here in Gordon County who provided the tips and information which enabled the rapid arrests in this case without any more violence to innocent people.”
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