Detectives share more details on 2 recent Columbus homicides in Recorder’s Court
Two men charged with murder in two recent homicides entered not guilty pleas in Columbus Recorder’s Court Thursday.
Antoine Bell is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon during a commission of a crime in a stabbing near Curry Street and Braselman Avenue that left Salaysia Duerner, 45, dead.
Bell did not appear in court, but Columbus Police Det. Sherman Hayes detailed what happened on the night of Oct. 1.
Police were called to a private residence near Curry Street in reference to a woman lying in the roadway. Upon arrival, officers found Duerner with multiple stab wounds, according to a news release from CPD.
Officers determined during investigation that Bell and Duerner were dating. The two were inside Bell’s grandparents’ home when the incident occurred, Hayes said.
Several reports of domestic violence between the two had previously been filed, Hayes said. Weeks before the homicide, Bell was wanted on an aggravated assault charge for reportedly stabbing Duerner.
“When we talked to family on scene, they stated that the relationship between the two was extremely toxic,” Hayes said.
Several tips, including some from family members, about Bell’s whereabouts aided officers during their search for the suspect. Once in custody, Bell told officers that he killed Duerner, Hayes said.
No bond was granted in the case, and Bell will remain in Muscogee County Jail as the case moves to Superior Court. Judge Julius Hunter ordered Bell to have no contact with the victim’s family, and granted the defense’s request for Bell to receive a mental health evaluation.
Homicide at Sky Zone
Christopher Jones, 23, of Thomaston, Georgia, also entered a not guilty plea Thursday in court as he appeared to face a murder charge in the fatal shooting of Kenneth Griggs. He also faces possession of a firearm by a felony and parole violation in an unrelated involuntary manslaughter conviction.
CPD Det. A. Moyer testified that on Oct. 1, officers were called to St. Francis-Emory Healthcare hospital in reference to a gunshot victim. Griggs, 20, was at Sky Zone Trampoline Park, 3716 Gentian Boulevard, when the incident occurred, according to a news release from CPD. He died at 7:39 p.m.
At the hospital, officers obtained Griggs’ cellphone and found texts between Griggs and Jones earlier in the evening. Jones asked Griggs to meet for a drug transaction, Moyer said.
Moyer said that witnesses at Sky Zone told officers that a silver vehicle and a blue Dodge Challenger appeared to be meeting in the parking lot. They heard one gunshot before both cars drove off. During the course of the investigation, officers were able to determine that Jones’ registered vehicle is a blue 2010 Dodge Challenger.
After being taken into custody in Upson County for parole violation, Moyer said that Jones confessed to the shooting in a taped interview with CPD detectives. He told officers that an altercation occurred between himself and Griggs in the parking lot, leading to him shooting Griggs.
Moyer also stated that officers were not able to obtain surveillance video from Sky Zone due to technical issues but obtained video from a nearby store that captures Jones’ vehicle leaving the scene.
Jones will remain in the Muscogee County jail on no bond as the case moves to Superior Court. The judge also issued a no contact order between Jones and any of his associates with the Griggs family.
