Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Inmate charged with killing Georgia Lottery winner recaptured

Earnest Anthony Holcomb is charged with murder and other offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of a Georgia Lottery winner in January 2016. (Credit: Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office)
Earnest Anthony Holcomb is charged with murder and other offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of a Georgia Lottery winner in January 2016. (Credit: Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office)
By Steve Burns
June 10, 2016

The man who is charged with murdering a Georgia Lottery winner was recaptured Thursday, according to a media report.

Ben Hill County Sheriff Bobby McLemore told Albany, Ga., television station WALB that Earnest Anthony Holcomb, 28, was apprehended under a house in Ocilla. Holcomb had gotten away from the Ben Hill County jail Wednesday.

Authorities received a tip that led them to Holcomb, although they won’t release details, the Associated Press reported.

Holcomb and six other people have been charged with malice murder and other offenses in connection with the January shooting death of Craigory Burch of Fitzgerald, who won $434,000 in a Fantasy Five jackpot. Felony escape charges will be added for Holcomb, the AP reported.

About the Author

Steve Burns
More Stories

Keep Reading

The pedestrian collision happened Saturday morning in DeKalb County. (AJC 2022)

Credit: Henri Hollis

Pedestrian fatally struck by FedEx truck in DeKalb, police say

The collision happened near police headquarters and several stores.

Man charged with shooting teens during porch package theft, Atlanta police say

16-year-old was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition but is expected to survive, according to authorities.

Suspect arrested in New York after Shaq’s custom car vanished in Atlanta

NBA legend’s new Range Rover was stolen during transport after a phishing tactic, officials say.

The Latest

A self-driving Waymo vehicle is seen leaving Ponce City Market in Atlanta on Monday, June 23, 2025. Waymo is preparing to launch on the Uber app in Atlanta, utilizing the most advanced autonomous driving technology. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

OPINION

Gridlock Guy: Should Waymo be held to a higher standard than human drivers?

48m ago

Pedestrian fatally struck by FedEx truck in DeKalb, police say

Arctic blast to bring bitter cold to metro Atlanta next week

Featured

Students line up after school for school buses at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The school’s principal told teachers not to talk to students about ICE, and teachers and activists are pushing back. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

DeKalb students raise fears about ICE raids; teachers told not to talk about it

The Sequoyah Middle School community asked DeKalb school officials to better support students who fear ICE.

Two-day effort helps free endangered right whale off Georgia coast

Georgia state officials helped disentangle a North American right whale, one of the most endangered whales on the planet.

Report: Election board member violated conduct code by going to Trump rally

A Georgia Inspector General's report found State Election Board Vice Chair Janice Johnston violated the board's code of conduct by attending a Donald Trump campaign rally.