Press Releases

Senoia, Coweta County, GA (May 14, 2023) –  The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Coweta County, Georgia. The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on May 13, 2023.  One man, identified as Michael Adams, 76, of Senoia, GA, was shot and killed.  No officers were injured in this incident.

Update to Original News Release: Unidentified Woman’s Remains Found in Riceboro

Victim Identified and Suspect Arrested 

(May 12, 2023) - Nicholas James Kassotis, aka Nicholas Killian James Stark, age 40, was arrested on Friday, May 12, 2023, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He was arrested in connection to the death of his wife, Mindi Mebane Kassotis.  

Mindi’s body was found on a hunting club which covered areas in Liberty and Mcintosh Counties on December 2, 2022.  She was 40 years old at the time she was found in Riceboro, GA.  The Kassotis’ were living in Savannah at the time of Mindi’s death. 

UPDATE:

Riceboro, GA (January 5, 2023) – The GBI and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to seek the public’s help in identifying a woman who was found dismembered. An updated forensic artist’s rendering of the woman is attached.

Initially, partial remains of a white female were discovered off Jones Road in the woods of the Portal Hunting Club in Riceboro, Liberty County, GA. Additional remains were discovered within a three-mile radius on the hunting club property in Liberty County, as well as McIntosh County. Further testing has determined that the remains were placed in the area on or around November 27, 2022.

The remains are that of a white female with brown eyes and shoulder-length brown hair, approximately 5’9” to 5’10” in height, and approximately 185 to 200 lbs., with an age range of 20-50 years old. The body has no scars, marks, or tattoos. There is a single tooth implant in the upper right jaw. Clothing found near the remains is described as a dark blue long sleeve, “Merona” brand shirt, size medium; white camisole top, size large; light gray boy shorts with white stripe down the side, size large; and white “Amazon Essentials” underwear, size large.

Anyone with information regarding a person matching this description is asked to contact the GBI Office in Statesboro at 912-871-1121 or the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office at 912-876-4555. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Riceboro, GA (December 13, 2022) – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office are seeking the public’s help in identifying a woman who was the apparent victim of a homicide. The body is that of a white female with brown eyes and brown hair, approximately 5’9’ to 5’10, and approximately 190 to 200 lbs. She has no apparent scars or tattoos. A forensic artist’s rendering of the woman is attached.

Chattahoochee Hills, GA (May 11, 2023) - The remains of two men found in Chattahoochee Hills, GA, have been positively identified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office as Jason Salter, age 39, and Kenny Guerra, age 35. Salter was identified on April 15, 2023, and Guerra was identified on May 4, 2023.

Forsyth, GA (May 11, 2023) –  The GBI is investigating the death of Stephen Tingen, age 49, of Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia.  On May 5, 2023, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI assist them with a death investigation.

Gilmer County, GA (May 11, 2023) – In April of 2021, associates of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) conspired to abduct Rossano Delgado of Barrow County, Georgia. The members of this DTO associated together for the common purposes of illegally committing acts of violence and obtaining money and property through the sale of drugs and illegal controlled substances. The DTO distributed controlled substances, such as methamphetamine, throughout Georgia.

Lithia Springs, GA (May 10, 2023) –  The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Lithia Springs, Douglas County, GA. The Cobb County Police Department (CCPD) asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. One man and one woman were shot and are in stable condition at Grady Hospital. No officers were injured during this incident.  

East Dublin, GA (May 9, 2023) – Tahvien Dewberry, age 26, of East Dublin, has been arrested and charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, in connection to the death of Ericia Avyana Smith, age 22, of Warner Robins.

LaGrange, Troup County, GA (May 9, 2023) – The GBI has arrested and charged Brandy Clower, age 39, of LaGrange, Georgia with theft by taking and exploitation and intimidation of an elder person. On March 8, 2023, the LaGrange Police Department asked the GBI to investigate allegations of employee theft from Holliday Realtors.

Dublin, Georgia (May 9, 2023) – The GBI is investigating a death in Dublin, GA. On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at about 9:20 a.m., the Dublin Police Department requested the GBI for assistance. Jimquez Nikwon Smith, age 26, of Dublin, was found lying in the road with a gunshot wound. Police received a 911 call at about 9:00 a.m. after someone noticed Smith on Kingsby Street, Dublin, Laurens County, Georgia. Smith later died at Fairview Park Hospital. No arrests have been made. 

Cartersville, GA (May 8, 2023) – As a result of a proactive online undercover investigation coordinated by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACC), and the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations, 12 people were arrested over a three-day period beginning Thursday, May 4, 2023.