A Clayton County man was arrested Thursday night in connection with the beating and murder of his wife, according to police.

Jermaine Lamarr Harris has been charged with malice murder and aggravated assault, according to a police report.

Officers conducted a wellness check on Harris’ wife, Reona Williams-Harris, 37, on Monday at 6:15 a.m. but no one answered the door. At 8:20 a.m., a friend with a key let them in, and Williams-Harris was found badly beaten and murdered, police said.

Officers searched the residence but found that no one was at home.

Investigators eventually collected enough evidence to connect Harris to the crime, police said, and he was brought in for questioning Thursday. A warrant was obtained for his arrest and he was taken to the Clayton County Jail later that day, according to police.

In other news:

Commanders credit a new way of recruiting with getting the new cops on the street.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Blue heron are just one of the hundreds of kinds of animals and plants that call the Okefenokee Swamp home. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC