PEARSON- An arrest has been made in the murder of a female in Pearson, Ga. The GBI obtained a felony murder warrant for Rashaad Maurice Bester, 26 YOA, of Douglas, Georgia. Bester was taken into custody without incident at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2008, at his place of employment in Douglas by Coffee County Deputies and a K-9 unit with Ware County C.I. 

On Sunday, October 26, 2008, at approximately 12:07 p.m., Tri-County 911 received a call in reference to a body on the side of the road in Pearson, Ga. Pearson Police responded to McCranie Street and, after searching the area, discovered the body of a white female near a ditch on the side of McCranie Street. The GBI Douglas office was called and requested to assist in the investigation.  

The victim lived in Pearson and was identified as Shawna Webber, 26 YOA.  An autopsy conducted by the GBI Crime Lab determined the cause of death to be strangulation. Other charges may be taken pending results of further testing of forensic evidence. It is unknown at this time if the suspect and victim knew each other.

The arrest was made as a result of investigation and evidence collected at the crime scene. The GBI and Pearson Police Department were also assisted in the investigation by the Atkinson County Sheriff's Office and Douglas Police Department.  
 
The investigation is still on-going; therefore no other details will be released at this time. If anyone has information pertaining to the investigation, please contact the Pearson Police Department at 912-422-7411 or the GBI Douglas Office at 912-389-4103.

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Contact Information:

SAC Russell Mansfield:912-389-4103 Pearson Chief Kevin Sparrow: 912-422-7411