Details emerge about Brookstone Blvd murder as suspect appears in Columbus court
The suspect charged with murder in connection with Monday’s shooting death of a man on Brookstone Boulevard had his preliminary hearing Friday in Columbus Recorder’s Court.
The Columbus Police Department said Antanavious Butler was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, home invasion and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in the death of 65-year-old Norman Lane.
Lane was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. Monday after a possible home invasion, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.
A news release from CPD said officers responded around 8:16 p.m. Monday to a home in the 6200 block of Brookstone Boulevard to a possible burglary, where they found Lane dead. Bryan said Lane was found with a handgun next to him.
The news release says officers saw signs of forced entry.
Butler pleaded not guilty to all charges during his hearing Friday.
Police testimony about investigation of Norman Lane murder
CPD Det. Justin Doll said detectives canvased the neighborhood and collected video surveillance footage from nearby homes. Doll testified several recordings showed an older model white Dodge Charger driving though the Brookstone neighborhood early Monday morning.
A witness told investigators they heard a loud vehicle driving up and down Brookstone Boulevard and saw the Dodge Charger stop in front of Lane’s residence several times, according to Doll’s testimony.
Doll testified the witness said she observed a person get out of the vehicle on the third stop with only the lower portion of the person’s legs being visible due to the headlights of the vehicle kind of blinding her.
The witness observed the trunk of the vehicle open and heard two loud “pops” but initially believed it to be trash can lids slamming, according to Doll.
Doll testified the witness saw a person close the trunk and drive off. Doll said detectives reviewed Flock cameras and data, which confirmed the Dodge Charger entered the Brookstone subdivision.
The vehicle was identified as a 2014 Dodge Charger with an Alabama tag and registered to Butler, according to Doll.
Doll testified a search warrant was obtained for Butler’s cellular data, which confirmed Butler’s phone and vehicle were located in and around the Brookstone subdivision during the time of the homicide.
Police found Butler at the Circle K gas station at 4420 2nd Ave. and arrested him without incident, Doll said.
A search warrant conducted on Butler’s vehicle led to the discovery of a semiautomatic shotgun wrapped in a towel in the trunk of the car, according to Doll.
“Investigators also discovered shotgun shells matching those located at the crime scene,” Doll said.
Doll testified Butler made a police report Tuesday with the Opelika Police Department claiming his vehicle had been broken into while he was in Atlanta after he and a friend had left his car in a park Sunday.
Butler stated he discovered the back window had been rebroken into and reported a shotgun belonging to his late father had been in the trunk, Doll testified.
Judge Susan Henderson found probable cause and bound the case over to Superior Court without bond.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 4:43 PM.