Witness to shooting of Columbus High grad heard numerous gunshots at close range

A Superior Court jury heard the 911 call and detailed descriptions of crime scene photographs during day two of James Oliver’s murder trial, who is accused in the Dec. 17, 2016, shooting death of Bobby Jerome Seawright, Jr. on Branton Woods Drive.

Assistant District Attorney Don Kelly played the 8-minute taped call as he questioned a resident who made the call at 2:19 a.m. after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard numerous gunshots at a loud, close range,” Kevin Strother testified. “It sounded like it was in my house. I jumped out of my bed, in the dark, and began looking for my family.”

Columbus police were called to a parking lot at the intersection of Branton Lane and Branton Woods Drive at 2:20 a.m. Dec7, 2016, to investigate a shooting. They found Seawright lying dead next to his running car with multiple gunshot wounds.

Police said Seawright had taken a friend home, and he was leaving the area in his vehicle when he came in contact with an individual who was walking down the street.

Authorities obtained surveillance video from a church that showed an armed person walking in the area where the homicide occurred.

Oliver faces charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and three firearms counts in Seawright’s homicide.

This story was originally published July 17, 2018 at 6:25 PM.