NEWS

Second arrest in former Hattiesburg teacher's death

From staff reports
Pamela Hamilton

A second suspect has been arrested in the homicide of former Hattiesburg school teacher Ann Georgian, 64.

Hattiesburg Police Department spokesman Lt. Jon Traxler said officers arrested and charged Pamela Hamilton, 62, of Hattiesburg in connection to the case. She is charged with hindering prosecution and rendering criminal assistance. No bond has been set.

Police have not revealed the relationship of Hamilton to Ann Georgian or to murder suspect Gus Timothy Georgian, 55 of Petal. Gus Georgian is the victim's brother. He was arrested Tuesday, booked into Forrest County Jail and charged with murder.

Traxler said Ann Georgian's missing dog has been found safe. Due to the ongoing investigation, the location of the dog is not being released at this time.

Traxler said the investigation continues and more arrests could occur. Official autopsy results still have not been released.

Traxler said no other information, including the location and circumstances of Gus Georgian's arrest was available. Gus Georgian is expected to make an initial court appearance Wednesday in Hattiesburg Municipal Court.

Police opened a death investigation Sept. 3 after finding Ann Georgian's body near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Davis Street, off Hardy Street. According to HPD, it is believed she was killed in the area early Saturday morning. The victim’s dog is currently missing.

Ann Georgian was a longtime teacher and administrator with Hattiesburg Public School District. She retired roughly 10 years ago.

Hattiesburg police, who had asked for the public’s help in identifying the victim, were contacted by Ann Georgian’s family early last week. Family members said they had not seen her in several days and asked HPD to do a welfare check because she fit the description of the victim and lived close to the area where the body was discovered.

Officers went to Ann Georgian’s residence and did not locate her. Police identified the victim as Georgian with the assistance of the State Crime Lab.

Her death marks the seventh homicide of the year in Hattiesburg.

LaRita Dewberry, 26, of Oak Grove was shot in her truck July 9 at Oakwood Apartments, 3901 W. Fourth St. Hattiesburg resident Taiwan Jermaine Blakely, Dewberry's boyfriend, was charged with murder.

Corey Husband, 20, was found shot June 26 inside a vehicle left parked outside a Hattiesburg restaurant. He died later at Forrest General Hospital. James Malik Windham of Petal and Demethius K. Dixon of Hattiesburg were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit a felony. The conspiracy involved selling a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a church. Chadrick M. Dixon of Hattiesburg was charged with hindering prosecution.

Madison Sims, 48, was shot at a gas station on U.S. 49 on May 30. He died June 2 at FGH. Andre Antonio-Rapheal Baker of Bassfield was charged with Sims' murder.

There were three homicides in Hattiesburg in January. All occurred in the victims' homes. Anna Griffith, 39, died Jan. 1, allegedly shot by her boyfriend, Theopolis Schaffer. Kelly Ladner, 37, was found beaten to death Jan. 2. Her boyfriend, Joe Michael Shaw Jr., was charged with her murder. On Jan. 6, Nicholas Brown, 35, also was found beaten to death, allegedly by his roommate, Steven Armstrong.

Engagement editor Lici Beveridge contributed to this report.