Carroll Co. shooting victim clings to life; suspect in court
The brother of a Carroll County sheriff's deputy shot in the head Saturday night during a party held at the home of a county commissioner remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Meanwhile, his alleged assailant, 21-year-old Zachary Sibley, made his first appearance in Carroll Superior Court Monday. He did not request bail, according to assistant district attorney Jeff Hunt, and is charged with aggravated assault and reckless conduct.
Authorities say Cullie Mitchell Denny, 21, was dumped in the woods by Sibley after he shot him in the head with a .45 caliber handgun. The shooting occurred at a party thrown by District 5 Commissioner Kevin Jackson's son at the family's home in Whitesburg. Jackson was out of town at the time.
Investigators haven't determined if the shooting was accidental; witnesses said Sibley had pointed the gun at the victim's head before it went off. Hunt said Sibley, who is being held at the Carroll County jail, could face additional charges.
Because Denny has a sibling who is a Carroll deputy, the case is being handled by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Immediately after the shooting, Sibley told Jackson's son he would transport Denny to Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, GBI spokesman John Bankhead said. Instead, he hid the body off Lake Seaton near Hutchinson Ferry and Cross Plains roads then returned to the party.
Carroll County deputies had already been dispatched to the scene after a 911 call was placed by Jackson's son. Sibley eventually acknowledged what he had done, leading deputies to Denny some four hours after the shooting, Bankhead said. Denny was immediately airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
