Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Murder suspect found in mental health facility

Lawrence Hines (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)
Lawrence Hines (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)
By Lauren Foreman
Sept 22, 2016

A third person was arrested in connection with the death of a missing Union City man after officers found the suspect had checked into a mental health facility, Channel 2 Action News reported Thursday.

Lawrence Hines was in the Fulton County Jail on a murder charge in the death of Lester “Roy” Jones, the television station reported. Hines, Malik Mayer and a juvenile allegedly took the car Jones was driving and tried to use his partner’s bank card at an ATM.

The stolen car was found outside of Chicago, where the trio allegedly robbed former NFL football player and Illinois state Sen. Napoleon Harris III before returning to metro Atlanta.

Mayer was arrested Sept. 15, six days after police found Jones' body near an abandoned house off Cotter Drive and ruled his death a homicide.

Mayer was being held Thursday in the county jail on charges of murder, malice murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft by taking and two counts of financial transaction card fraud.

It was not clear when authorities arrested the juvenile.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

About the Author

Lauren Foreman
More Stories

Keep Reading

Kelly Vinal walks through debris in her space at South River Arts Studio in DeKalb County on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. The artist studio was damaged in a fire on Wednesday. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller

Fire gutted a DeKalb art studio. Creatives are now picking up the pieces.

A Wednesday blaze at South River Art Studios ravaged one of three warehouses on the property where about 35 artists create and store all their supplies.

$980M Mega Millions winning ticket sold in Newnan

The player matched all six numbers during a Friday evening drawing and won a jackpot worth an estimated $980 million. It has an estimated cash value of $452.2 million.

Churches, King Center hold food drives as SNAP delays linger

As the nation begins to recover from the government shutdown, leaders and advocates in Georgia are trying to fill the gaps left by the pause in federal services.

The Latest

Kelly Vinal walks through debris in her space at South River Arts Studio in DeKalb County on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. The artist studio was damaged in a fire on Wednesday. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller

Fire gutted a DeKalb art studio. Creatives are now picking up the pieces.

Churches, King Center hold food drives as SNAP delays linger

$980M Mega Millions winning ticket sold in Newnan

Featured

Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Prosecutor takes helm of Georgia case against Trump. But will he move forward?

A veteran Georgia prosecutor will decide the fate of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' election interference case against Donald Trump and his allies.

With some solar power tax breaks expiring, Georgians rush to catch the sun

Georgia solar installers say they’re seeing a surge of customers trying to install rooftop solar systems before federal tax credits go away at the end of the year.

‘Automatic for the People’: Weaver D’s still bonds Athens as era nears end

After feeding everyone from R.E.M. to Brian Kemp, and coining a phrase that went global, Dexter Weaver is preparing to close his storied Athens soul food restaurant.