After more than three weeks of investigation, the death of a Paulding County man found in his home with multiple gunshot wounds was determined to be a homicide, the sheriff’s office announced.
Charvis Baulding, 30, of Douglasville, was found dead Jan. 11, Paulding Sheriff Gary Gulledge said. He had been shot multiple times, but the manner of death was not classified as a homicide until three weeks later, after a GBI autopsy was conducted.
“This is a very complex case,” Gulledge said. “We have taken an enormous amount of time to ensure that no stone has been left unturned in this investigation. I know it may seem like we may not be working as quickly as the family may want, but we are working diligently in conjunction with the GBI to ensure we find out who killed Charvis Baulding. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his grieving family.”
Amid questions from Baulding’s family and other community members, the sheriff’s office said it could not offer further explanation without jeopardizing its investigation.
“There are very specific reasons (that are pertinent to this case) that information was not released prior to today,” the sheriff’s office replied to one of those questions on social media.
The case began when one of Baulding’s neighbors in the Emerald Point subdivision called 911, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators responded and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds, and the area was roped off as a crime scene. Later that evening, according to the sheriff’s office, GBI agents responded to assist with the investigation.
The GBI typically assists investigations that require resources or technology beyond the scope of the local law enforcement agency.
“As a result of the preliminary findings from the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office during the autopsy, combined with other forensic aspects of the investigation, Baulding’s death is being investigated as a homicide,” the sheriff’s office announced. “The official autopsy report is pending as they typically take quite some time to complete by the forensic pathologists at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.”
Baulding had his own handyman business, according to his obituary. He had been a standout basketball player at Hiram High School, according to Channel 2 Action News.
His funeral was held Jan. 20 at the Clark Funeral Home and Chapel in Hiram.
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