Second suspect charged in death of Columbus rapper

Dover Bartlett Coppins , 24, has been charged with one count each of murder , armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, Police Lt. Greg Touchberry said. Coppins was booked into the Muscogee County Jail where he is held for a 9 a.m. Thursday hearing in Recorder’s Court.

Coppins follows the May 3 arrest of Eric Randall Spencer who was charged with murder, armed robbery, possession of firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Police were called about 10:28 p.m. to the restaurant at 4236 Buena Vista Road on a person shot. Denson, 32, was found in the driver’s seat of his Jeep Cherokee and pronounced dead of multiple gunshots.

During a Recorder’s Court hearing for Spencer, a police detective said Denson was outside the restaurant for about 20 minutes before a four-door sedan pulled alongside the passenger’s side of Denson’s Jeep. A man left the front passenger seat, walked around to the driver’s window of Denson’s SUV and appeared to have a conversation.

Another person left the rear seat of the sedan, walked around to the back of the SUV and opened the rear passenger door behind Denson’s seat. The man leaned into the vehicle and appeared to have fired three shots at Denson.

A fingerprint below the driver’s side door was matched to Spencer, police said.

As the shots were fired, a third person left the sedan and removed a large bag with 16 pounds of marijuana, police were told by a person close to Denson.

Anyone with information on the murder of Branden Denson should contact Cpl. Robbie Nicholas at 706-225-4363 or RobertNicholas@columbusga.org