Crime & Public Safety

$5K reward offered after 71-year-old man was shot, killed inside his Newnan home

James Lee Petty
James Lee Petty
June 23, 2020

A 71-year-old man’s shooting death has been ruled a homicide in Newnan, police confirmed.

About 5 a.m. Thursday, first responders were called to the West Washington Street home of James Lee Petty, Newnan police spokeswoman Ashley Copeland said. Petty was found inside his house dead from a gunshot wound.

One of Petty’s friends went to visit him that morning and was worried when he didn’t come to the door, Copeland said. When the man looked inside, he saw Petty on the floor and called 911.

Police said there were no signs of forced entry.

Newnan city officials are offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for Petty’s homicide.

The City of Newnan is now offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or...

Posted by Newnan Police Department on Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 770-254-2355. Tipsters can choose to remain anonymous.

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About the Author

Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.

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