67-year-old victim, 88-year-old suspect identified in Trussell Ave. homicide

A woman found shot to death at 5136 Trussell Ave. is the second homicide in Columbus for 2018, police said late Tuesday.

Nancy Green, 67, was pronounced dead at 5:09 p.m., Muscogee County Deputy Coroner Charles Newton said. Her body will be sent to the crime lab in Decatur for an autopsy.

An investigation has led to the arrest of 88-year-old James Byrd as a suspect, Police Lt. Greg Touchberry said in a release. He was charged with murder in Green’s death. It is unclear whether the Muscogee County Jail will require Byrd to be medically cleared to enter the lockup due to his age.

Police were called to the home to investigated a shooting at 4:30 p.m. At the scene, officers found Green suffering from a gunshot wound.

Police Maj. J.D. Hawk, head of the Investigative Services Bureau, said the death is a homicide. Detectives remained on the scene investigating the case.

The death comes eight days after the New Year’s shooting death of Nancy Johnson at a home in the 2900 block of Colorado Street. She was shot through the door after denying entry to a man trying to enter the party. Police arrested 65-year-old Tommy McNeal and charged him with murder in Johnson’s death.

Although Green is the second homicide investigated by police, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan records three homicides, including the man who died Jan. 1 from injuries sustained in a home invasion in December.

This story was originally published January 9, 2018 at 10:12 PM with the headline "67-year-old victim, 88-year-old suspect identified in Trussell Ave. homicide."