Cherokee woman charged in father’s death

A Ball Ground woman has been accused of killing her elderly father, then staying in the house for a week as the body decayed, according to police.

Andrea Blanton, 45, was arrested Tuesday and initially charged with concealing the death of 77-year-old James Reece after a welfare check led police to discover the corpse inside the home they shared, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jay Baker said.

Blanton was released Tuesday evening on $11,200 bond, but was arrested again Wednesday after a GBI autopsy revealed that Reese had been strangled to death, Baker said.

Blanton is being held without bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on charges of murder and concealing a death.

About the Author

Marcus K Garner

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

The state’s error rate during fiscal 2024 was exceeded by only Alaska and the District of Columbia

Gwinnett drops charges against Spanish-language reporter in ICE custody

Misdemeanor charges against journalist Mario Guevara have now been dropped in both Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

DISPATCH

In Georgia’s melon mecca, watermelon wizards’ ears are sweetly attuned

In the heart of Georgia's watermelon country, everyone has a trick to tell if a melon is ripe. One way is the sound a melon makes when it is thumped. Or better, patted.

The Latest

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Rhone: Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

AJC Peachtree Road Race updates: Keep the momentum going

Featured

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Georgia disability rights advocates fear weakening of U.S. accessibility law

Advocates worry the Department of Energy’s move could be the start of a broader effort by other federal agencies to roll back civil rights rules.

From boycott to ballgame: Baseball’s political All-Star Game saga returns to Georgia

MLB pulled the 2021 All-Star Game from Georgia over the state's voting law, Senate Bill 202. Now it’s back — and Republicans say the return proves they were right all along.

OPINION

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Preparations for the show pushed people out of their comfort zones — into new stores, new communities, a new style of dress, and in some cases, to visit new cities.