Mccoy Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Ex-Husband 5
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THURSDAY November 21, 2019 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER 75 cents McCoy sentenced to life in prison for murdering ex-husband pretrial detention at the Bartow ever, suspected McCoy of being victim was killed by a single gun- Kingston woman receives County Jail since Feb. 21, 2018. under the infl uence at the time of shot, which struck the blood supply Earlier that day, she shot and killed the shooting. BCSO deputy George of his small bowel. consecutive fi ve-year prison 83-year-old James “Sam” McCoy Murchison said McCoy’s eyes “She made an intentional act, at his residence off Norton Road. were glassy and that she exhibited picked up that gun and fi red at her sentence for fi rearm possession The two divorced in January yet slurred speech when law enforce- ex-husband,” said Cherokee Judicial were still residing together at the ment offi cials arrived at the crime Circuit Assistant District Attorney BY JAMES SWIFT tence for possession of a fi rearm same home. The State indicated scene. He also said that he “had to Suzanne Brookshire. “She had no [email protected] during the commission of a felony. that the victim was in the process help her walk to my vehicle.” right to be in that house, he did not Last month, jurors also found Mc- of evicting the defendant at the Another BCSO offi cial, inves- want her there, and for whatever rea- A 59-year-old woman found Coy guilty of one count of aggravat- time the shooting transpired. tigator Daniel Weathers, also re- son, she decided to do this act … the guilty of murdering her elderly ed assault and an additional count During her testimony, the defen- counted McCoy’s speech as slurred State will remind the court that she ex-husband in Kingston last year of possessing a fi rearm during the dant accused the victim of physi- when he spoke with her the day of waited at least 15 minutes to call law was sentenced to life in prison in commission of a felony. The aggra- McCoy cally abusing her and, on several the shooting, noting that she ap- enforcement, she called two people Bartow Superior Court Tuesday vated assault charge was ultimately instances, sexually assaulting her. peared “extremely intoxicated.” before that, which just shows kind of afternoon. merged into the felony murder life involuntary manslaughter, reckless Public defender LeAnna Wade During testimony, McCoy said a tainted heart in my mind, that she Cherokee Judicial Circuit Judge sentence, with the two fi rearm pos- conduct and another count of pos- argued that the defendant shot the she aimed for her ex-husband’s legs didn’t necessarily want him to get Suzanne H. Smith also sentenced session counts likewise merged. sessing a fi rearm during the com- victim, essentially, in self-defense. but missed. Former Georgia Bu- the help.” defendant Kim Lori McCoy to a McCoy was found not guilty on mission of a felony. Several Bartow County Sheriff’s reau of Investigation medical ex- consecutive fi ve-year prison sen- counts of voluntary manslaughter, The defendant has been held in Offi ce (BCSO) personnel, how- aminer Dr. John Wassum said the SEE SENTENCE, PAGE 5A Cartersville Bartow Against Drugs earns man arrested $125,000 in online Drug-Free child sex Communities operation grant BY MARIE NESMITH STAFF REPORT [email protected] A Cartersville man has been arrested on a series of felony As Bartow Against Drugs’ charges related to an “elaborate program coordinator, Scott attempt” to ultimately meet an Sherwin is looking forward to 8-year-old girl for indecent broadening the organization’s purposes in Hiram, according reach with a $125,000 Drug- to the Paulding County Sher- Free Communities Support iff’s Office. Program grant. Brian Travis Cowart, 34, of “Our coalition was thrilled Cartersville, has been charged RANDY PARKER/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS when we learned the news,” with child exploitation and at- Cartersville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Feuerbach addresses the 2019-20 REACH Georgia scholarship he said. “The work we do in tempted child molestation and recipients at the signing ceremony Tuesday morning at Cartersville Middle School. Bartow County depends on re- enticement charges following ceiving these types of awards. his Nov. 1 arrest related to ar- Having these funds will mean ranging to pay for sex with the expanding our current efforts girl. 5 Cartersville Middle 8th-graders over the duration of the grant. The Paulding County Sher- “These funds will fund sev- iff’s Office said someone eral key initiatives, such as the called the sheriff’s office Oct. awarded REACH scholarships Positive Social Norms cam- 29 and said a person on an un- paign in the area high schools. named social media site was This campaign is a multi-year seeking to have sex with girls 5 BY DONNA HARRIS project, which is designed to to 10 years old. [email protected] change youths’ perception of al- An undercover detective on cohol and other drug use within Oct. 31 then made contact with Working hard their fi rst eight years of their community. Students re- the suspect, identified as Cow- school has paid off — literally — for fi ve port they believe most of their art, in an online conversation, Cartersville Middle School students. peers are drinking alcohol; which led to the suspect offer- During a ceremony Tuesday morning when, the reality is most stu- ing “a sum of money to per- in the school media center, eighth-grad- dents report they do not drink. form sex acts on an 8-year-old ers Karla Betancourt, Isis Gillon, Valerie If we can start to change their girl,” Henson said. Santos, Jacqueline Vargas and Anetra perceptions, then they are less According to PCSD, Cowart Witherspoon and their parents/guardians likely to succumb to peer pres- thought he was communicat- signed REACH Georgia contracts that sure and turn to substances.” ing online with the 8-year-old will award the students up to $30,000 in Along with the Positive So- girl’s older sister. college scholarships if they continue to cial Norms campaign, the Cowart then planned the next have good grades and behavior and grad- grant also will fund Sources of day to meet the older sister at uate from high school. Strength — a wellness program a Hiram retail store where she The school’s sixth group of students to focusing on suicide prevention would deliver the 8-year-old receive scholarships from REACH Geor- currently at Cartersville High victim to Cowart for a certain gia — a state needs-based mentorship and and Middle schools — and the period of time. scholarship program modeled after the implementation of Reward & “Upon Cowart’s arrival, he Cartersville Schools Foundation’s Gate- Remind. was swiftly taken into custody Key Scholars program started by former “Youth tell us that it’s not by several detectives from the Superintendent Dr. Howard Hinesley — very diffi cult to get alcohol and Juvenile Investigations Divi- brings the system’s total number of schol- we want to change that,” Sher- sion, who were waiting on him ars to 31. win said, referring to Reward in the parking lot,” said Sgt. “These fi ve young ladies have worked & Remind. “We contract with Ashley Henson of the Paulding very hard over the past several years to ‘youthful-appearing’ adults County Sheriff’s Office. have the opportunity to receive such a over 21 to visit local retailers Cowart was being held in the great scholarship going forward,” CMS and attempt to purchase alco- Paulding County Jail without Principal Matt Gibson said. “They’re ex- hol. bond on charges of criminal at- cellent students, and their grades and their “If the person is asked for tempt to commit child molesta- performance in each of their classes show proper ID, then the clerk is tion, criminal attempt to entice that. They’ve challenged themselves over handed a Reward card thanking a child for indecent purposes the past several years and continue to do them for ‘doing the right thing.’ and violation of the Comput- so. We expect great things from them in If they fail to ask for proper ID, er/Electronic Pornography and the future.” then the clerk is handed a ‘Re- Child Exploitation Prevention Realizing Educational Achievement minder’ card letting them know Act. Can Happen is Georgia’s fi rst public-pri- it’s illegal — and dangerous — vate needs-based scholarship opportunity to sell to minors. We follow up and is designed to encourage students, our results with local law en- beginning in middle school, to continue forcement agencies.” their educational pursuits beyond high Bartow Against Drugs’ grant school. is one of more than 190 award- Launched by former Gov. Nathan Deal ed by the White House Offi ce of on Feb. 6, 2012, at the Georgia Institute RANDY PARKER/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS National Drug Control Policy of Technology, REACH began as a pilot As her parents Silvia Delores and Ignacio Vargas watch, REACH scholarship to community coalitions across recipient Jacqueline Vargas signs her contract at the REACH Georgia Sign- program in three school systems, and now ing Ceremony Tuesday morning at Cartersville Middle School. the nation for fi scal year 2019. almost eight years later, it has 1,800 schol- On Nov. 12, U.S. Rep. Barry ars in 154 participating school systems. by the Georgia Student Finance Author- social and fi nancial support needed to Loudermilk issued a statement Every fall, a new class of eighth-grad- ity. Scholarships are funded by REACH graduate from high school, access college concerning two organizations ers in school systems across Georgia sign and the foundation.