Man charged with murder in shooting of Fort Benning soldier

A man was charged in the shooting death of the Fort Benning soldier who was killed early Saturday near the intersection of Veterans Parkway and River Road, according to Columbus police.

Marcus Theodore Wiggins, 27, was arrested in Lee County and charged with murder in the death of 26-year-old Donald Matthews. He was extradicted to Columbus and placed in the Muscogee County Jail.

Columbus Police Lt. Ralph Dowe said Wiggins and Matthews got into an altercation at the TGI Friday’s at 3116 Adams Farm Drive.

“The victim and the suspect both ended up leaving in two different cars,” Dowe said. “They ended up meeting again at River Road and Veterans, where the shooting took place.”

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Matthews was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds when he arrived at the Columbus Midtown Medical Center in a private vehicle at 1:49 a.m.

The active duty soldier was pronounced dead almost four hours later at 6:36 a.m. A warrant was issued for Wiggins on Saturday, Dowe said.

Columbus police said Matthews was one of two men who were fatally shot on Saturday.

Authorities were called to Grant Road aroud 12:40 a.m. Saturday to investigate the shooting that killed 32-year-old Robert Lockhart. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 3:27 a.m.

Eddie Clayton was arrested at 9:30 a.m. and charged with murder in Lockhart’s death.

This story was originally published July 24, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Man charged with murder in shooting of Fort Benning soldier."