GUILTY GA - Jmaal Keyes, 19, MGSC student, Cochran, 25 April 2013

[Backwoods]

It sounds like Georgia has lost a fine, promising young man. Prayers with his family and friends. I also think of those close to the accused -- another young life that has changed irrevocably.

Middle Georgia State student charged with murdering fellow student from metro Atlanta

...Authorities have not released a motive for the slaying, or said how they believe Keyes was killed. ...


About 20 people from Keyes’ Austell church went to Cochran on Wednesday to help with the search for the missing 19-year-old. Destiny World Church had also posted a $3,000 reward for information leading the the teen’s safe return.


On Friday morning, the church’s pastor, Wilbur Purvis, called the arrest “very shocking. Of course, we were very hopeful and optimistic that we would get better news.” ...


...He said Keyes was “very active in our church, very loving, a very kind young man who loved his family and just a great young man that we have lost.”


“He was a very responsible young man so we are very surprised by where we are today,” the pastor said.


Purvis said the missing teen’s older brother graduated from college this week with a degree in criminal justice “and from what I remember, he wanted to follow in his brother’s footsteps and we were very hopeful that he would do great things in life.” ...

read more at: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/middle-georgia-state-student-charged-with-murderin/nXnHr/

 

[Backwoods]

macon.com/The Telegraph has updated its story again:

UPDATE: River search called off for slain college student

By CHRISTINA M. WRIGHT and LIZ FABIAN — Telegraph staff
​

Searches on the Ocmulgee River near Hawkinsville for the body of a slain Middle Georgia State College student have been called off, authorities said Friday afternoon.

The body of 19-year-old Jmaal Malik Keyes of Atlanta has not been found.

Keyes, missing for two weeks, may have gotten a ride to a convenience store from the Hawkinsville teenager now charged with his murder, the college’s police chief said.

“That was the story we were told, it just hasn’t been confirmed with eyewitnesses,” Chief Shawn Douglas said.

Police have charged Robert Kane Rolison, 17, with killing Keyes. ...

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/05/10/2473564/hawkinsville-teen-accused-of-killing.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Backwoods]

macon.com continues to update its story at the link above. Among other things, this has been added:

Wilbur Purvis, a pastor from Keyes’ church in Austell ...said Keyes’ mother is relying on her faith for guidance after losing her son ... . “She was very adamant when she spoke to her children about not being bitter, not being angry, accepting this as something that has occurred and believing that her faith in God will get her through,” he said.

Also added is some information about the suspect, beyond what had already been reported:

...Portrait of suspect begins to emerge

Students from Hawkinsville High described Rolison as an outgoing, smart student who loved to skateboard and draw.
​

“He likes to have a good time,” said Jessica Neal, 17. “He’ll make you laugh.”

Neal said she was in the 4-H club with Rolison, who was in Advanced Placement classes when he attended the high school full time.

Principal Rosemary Wright said Rolison was enrolled at MGSC full time this school year as a part of the Georgia Academy of Aviation, Mathematics, Engineering and Science program.

GAMES “is designed so that scholastic students can earn both a high school diploma, from their home high school, and an associate degree from Middle Georgia State College simultaneously,” according to the college website. ...

Rolison also was a 2011-2012 member of the Georgia School Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council that met to discuss education policy

Neal and friends Jennifer Johnson, 18, and Courtney Taylor, 16, said they were surprised by news Rolison had been charged with murder.

“I don’t believe it,” Johnson said. “I don’t think he would do that.”

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/10/2473564/hawkinsville-teen-accused-of-killing.html#storylink=cpy​

read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/05/10/2473564/hawkinsville-teen-accused-of-killing.html

Authorities are saying no body has been located, still, and beyond that, there are a lot of other questions that aren't being answered yet -- such as whether the suspect has confessed to something and, if so, whether he is providing information leading to the areas being searched. It seems that the counties searched today, with emphasis on the Ocmulgee River, are near his (the suspect's) hometown of Hawkinsville. I did hear on one newscast earlier, though, that those searches came about from tips from Jmaal's friends, but not sure that was accurate.

All in all, a very sad situation. I wonder what has happened here.

If Jmaal is out there to be found, I sure hope they find him soon, to take him home to his grieving family.

 

[Backwoods]

macon.com also now has a separate link to some photos relating to this case:

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/10/2474442/missing-mgsc-student.html

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/11/2475112/evidence-found-in-search-for-missing.html

Published: May 11, 2013
By WAYNE CRENSHAW

A massive search for the body of a missing Middle Georgia State College student yielded evidence, but authorities aren’t saying much else.

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/05/11/2683863/gbi-evidence-found-in-search-for.html

Published: Saturday, May. 11, 2013 /
Updated: Saturday, May. 11, 2013 02:59 PM
The Associated Press

Short article at link

 

[Backwoods]

Wondering if the evidence found might have been a substantial amount of blood or an article of clothing. Just guesses, of course. (Also wondering if something similar in the suspect's car or otherwise in his possession may be what led to LE feeling confident enough to charge him Thursday night.)

I haven't seen any MSM reference to canine searchers being involved in the search efforts ... but surely they are...?

One of the macon.com articles posted earlier reports about the suspect's online presence and also about the fact that he has been involved with medieval games:

...In photos taken in March and posted on his Facebook page, Rolison apparently attended a medieval festival in west Georgia called the Ides of March VII.


The pictures show him and others wearing costumes and holding shields and various types of homemade weapons used in battle games. ...

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/10/2473564/hawkinsville-teen-accused-of-killing.html

I'm not one to jump to dark conclusions about the implications of gaming activities, whether virtual or re-enactment, on the part of a suspect, but I am wondering whether investigators might have found info on the suspect's computer that they feel supports the charge.

​

 

[Backwoods]

Gi(r)lfriend of missing teen angry at student charged with murder

...The victim's girlfriend, Ronique Green, said she's done all she could to find Keyes, posting messages on social media sites, and even calling people he went to school with, including Keyes' classmate, who is charged in his murder.

Green said Robert Rolison admitted to being with Keyes the day he was reported missing, but his story just didn't add up.

'I knew he was lying, because he said Jmaal went back to his room. But on the video surveillance camera from the school, they said he didn't go back," Green told Channel 2's Ashley Swann. ...

...The GBI told Channel 2 Action News on Saturday that "evidence has been collected overnight that is relevant to the investigation. At this point, we are not going into any further details regarding that evidence."

GBI said the evidence was found in a "ground, as opposed to water" search in Pulaski County. ...

...The search for Keyes is ongoing.

more at: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/gilfriend-missing-teen-angry-student-charged-murde/nXpGj/

 

[Backwoods]

Seems like some more info is starting to come out regarding evidence found:

Officials Find Evidence in Burned Cabin Debris in Case of Missing MGSC Student

Authorities searching for the body of a missing Middle Georgia State College student found new evidence in burned cabin debris. ...

...The cabin tucked away in a densely wooded area in Pulaski County is just miles away from the home of Robert Kane Rolison, a fellow student charged in Keyes' murder. ...

...The GBI is now working to determine if the fire is connected to this case. ...

more at: http://www.41nbc.com/news/local-new...-cabin-debris-in-case-of-missing-mgsc-student

ETA: As far as I can see right now, looks as if channel 41 got the scoop on this development -- other sources right at the moment are still saying, pretty much, that no details about the possible evidence found are being released. Certainly not seeing anywhere else yet reporting about a cabin that burned the same day Jmaal went missing!

 

[Backwoods]

Austell congregation heartbroken over missing teen

AUSTELL, Ga. —
A local church is remembering a college student investigators believe was murdered.

Members of Destiny World Church prayed for the family of Jmaal Keyes. ...

..."This week has been a very difficult week in the life of our church," said Pastor Wilbur Purvis.

On this Mother's Day, the pastor told members to embrace the teen's family....

more at: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/austell-congregation-heartbroken-over-missing-teen/nXpYd/

Definitely feeling for this mother, family, church and community on this Mother's Day.

 

[Backwoods]

A few more references to the burned cabin are beginning to show up now, but none of them sourced by the story to the GBI as the report from channel 41 (in my post two posts above) was. The one below, for example, is sourced to a member of Jmaal's church who has been "speaking for the family".

Also noting from this, no bond for the suspect after first appearance.

GBI Uncovering Evidence In Jmaal Keyes Murder Case

The GBI is looking into evidence found at a cabin in Hawkinsville in the case of the missing Middle Georgia State College student Jmaal Keyes. ...

...the cabin is down the road from Rolison's family home in Hawkinsville and had been burned down around the time of Keyes' disappearance, around April 25. ...

...Rolison made his first appearance before a magistrate judge Sunday and was denied bond. Rolison remains in the Bleckley County jail. ...

read more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local/ar...ncovering-Evidence-In-Jmaal-Keyes-Murder-Case

With the lid somewhat on the story about the burned cabin and the river search called off, I am really wondering if LE thinks Jmaal's body was burned in the cabin and they are waiting on DNA id from remains?

What a terrible time for Jmaal's family -- prayers.

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

Gi(r)lfriend of missing teen angry at student charged with murder

...The victim's girlfriend, Ronique Green, said she's done all she could to find Keyes, posting messages on social media sites, and even calling people he went to school with, including Keyes' classmate, who is charged in his murder.

more at: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/gilfriend-missing-teen-angry-student-charged-murde/nXpGj/

Poor RG - sounds like she knew this guy was wrong not long after they spoke. She really did a lot - took over his FB page (http://www.facebook.com/jmaal.keyes1) as well to get the message out.

Jmaal's status update from 19 August 2012 is so sad.. he had so much to do and so much to look forward to.

 

[Backwoods]

Investigators comb fire site for clues in midstate student killing

By JOE KOVAC JR. — jkovac@macon.com
The hunt for clues in the slaying of a Middle Georgia State College student has led investigators to sift the charred remains of a Pulaski County fire site not far from where the suspect in the killing lived, authorities said Monday....


...Though Rolison is in jail in Bleckley, authorities aren’t certain if Keyes was killed there or in neighboring Pulaski, where Rolison was also a student at Hawkinsville High School.


Of the investigation, one official said Monday, “It’s so much in a state of flux.” ...

read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/05/13/2477319/investigators-comb-fire-site-for.html

 

[Backwoods]

Poor RG - sounds like she knew this guy was wrong not long after they spoke. She really did a lot - took over his FB page (http://www.facebook.com/jmaal.keyes1) as well to get the message out.

Jmaal's status update from 19 August 2012 is so sad.. he had so much to do and so much to look forward to.

Thank you for posting, Wolf Dreamer. Puddin' and I were starting to feel sort of lonely here on Jmaal's thread. :seeya:

I don't do Facebook so can't see much there. I can see that the top 4 favorite TV shows showing for him are all crime investigation shows -- it was reported earlier that he was interested in getting a degree in criminal justice, as his older brother recently did. Think I read, too, that his girlfriend is a criminal justice major. I agree that it sounds like she did a lot trying to locate him.

 

[Backwoods]

The latest online update at this source sure sounds to me that investigators found what they think may be Jmaal's remains in the burned cabin but just are not wanting to say so yet. So sad.

GBI Uncovering Evidence In Jmaal Keyes Murder Case

...The GBI also searched the surrounding 30 acres near the cabin.

Todd Lowery of the GBI Eastman office says the evidence has been taken to the crime lab, and said "we're not prepared to say we've found his body." ...

more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/232486/175/GBI-Uncovering-Evidence-In-Jmaal-Keyes-Murder-Case

What is strange is that when this aired at 5 or 6 p.m., I'm almost positive the report included info that the cabin was on property belonging to the suspect's family -- grandparents, I think? But this is not included in the online print version, so maybe that info was incorrect and they've retracted it...?

 

[mikkismom]

Remains found in search for missing college student

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/remains-found-in-search-of-missing-college-student/nXqtr/

 

[Backwoods]

It would still be premature to ask a mod to move Jmaal's thread to the "Found" forum, pending the results of the identifying tests, but I am going to go ahead and say, at this point, Rest in Peace, Jmaal. God bless your family and friends and all who loved you.

What in the world was the motivation for this crime? We are hearing very little, as yet, about the type of relationship Jmaal and the suspect had or anything about the circumstances.

GBI: Human Remains Found at Hawkinsville Site

The GBI says evidence found at a Hawkinsville site last week is human remains, and they will run tests to show whether they are the remains of Jmaal Keyes. ...

...Investigators have not revealed how they think Keyes died or why, and have not described the relationship between the two students....

more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/232651/153/GBI-Human-Remains-Found-at-Hawkinsville-Site

 

[Backwoods]

I wonder if the statement at the link below (bold italics are mine, for focus) from family spokesperson RM indicates that the suspect has made some type of confession -- or does "the boy" refer to someone else, a witness or a confidante of the suspect?

GBI: Human remains found in probe of dead college student

...A spokesman for Keyes’ family, Ricky Mims, said by phone Tuesday that he hadn’t spoken to Keyes’ relatives in the wake of the day’s developments.

“I know common sense is saying it’s probably most likely him, but the GBI still hasn’t confirmed that,” Mims said.

“It is leaning toward most likely it is him, but our prayers are still out there that it’s not him. And hopefully maybe this whole thing was a lie from the boy.” ...

Also from this article:

A memorial service for Keyes has been set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Destiny World Church on Factory Shoals Road in Austell.

read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/05/14/2478135/gbi-human-remains-found-in-probe.html

 

[a.allison]

This is so sad, such a young guy. He had his whole life ahead of him and was following in the footsteps of his older brother. My prayers go out to his family.

 

[Backwoods]

The family seems to be accepting that the remains are Jmaal's.

Memorial service planned for missing college student after human remains discovered

DNA testing is planned to determine whether human remains found last week during the search for missing college student Jmaal Keyes are that of the Paulding County high school graduate ....

“We didn’t see this day coming,” said Keyes’ pastor, Wilbur Purvis.

But Keyes’ parents have accepted the likelihood that the remains are Jmaal’s, moving ahead with plans for a memorial service Saturday at Destiny World Church in Austell. ...

...Officials have yet to divulge a motive for the killing, or how Rolison allegedly killed Keyes, a criminal justice major.

“None of that matters,” said Purvis, quoting the victim’s mother. “We can not move on until we forgive this person. Her faith is very much intact.”

read more at: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/remains-found-in-search-of-missing-college-student/nXqtr/


I pray God will bless and comfort all Jmaal's loved ones at this time, especially his mother, and sustain them in the days ahead.