On April 11, 1985, Webster County Sheriff George Goare, 47, was killed while transporting a 19-year-old murder suspect, Welton Jerome Thomas, to Richland, Georgia. Goare was a long-serving lawman with 25 years in law enforcement. Thomas, who had been arrested six days earlier in connection with another man’s murder, offered to lead the sheriff to the alleged murder weapon.

Sheriff Goare was shot and killed during that altercation. Thomas fled while still handcuffed but was captured the next day at his mother’s residence.

Thomas was charged with felony murder of Sheriff Goare and escape with a dangerous weapon. At trial he said the sheriff assaulted him and the shooting was unintentional during a struggle; a jury convicted him on both counts and sentenced him to two life terms plus ten years concurrent. Did anyone who knew Sheriff Goare or Welton Jerome Thomas have details about the transport or the events that day?