Suspect arrested in slaying of Sandersville resident

SANDERSVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As the CSRA grapples with a wave of homicides, authorities have made an arrest in connection with the slaying of a Sandersville man over the weekend.

On Tuesday, Santavious Louis Roberts, 35, of Sandersville, was arrested on suspicion of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, authorities said.

He’s accused of killing Mandell Damonda McCullough, 54, who was in a relationship with the suspect’s mother.

On Saturday around 3:30 p.m., Sandersville police were called to investigate a domestic dispute at 834 Gwendolyn St. When officers arrived, they found McCullough dead inside the home.

Roberts lived in the home with his mother and McCullough. The investigation revealed an argument took place between Roberts and McCullough and during the argument, according to authorities

Authorities said Roberts shot McCullough then left the residence before officers arrived.

Roberts was booked into Washington County jail.

The Sandersville Police Department has ben joined in the investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

A surge in violence

The Sandersville slaying was one in a wave that’s taken place in recent days as the CSRA sees a surge in violent crime. Since Thursday in Augusta:

• A dead female was found just before noon Tuesday outside a vacant home in the 1500 block of Conklin Lane in Augusta. The death was considered suspicious from the start, but the coroner ruled Tuesday that the death was the result of a homicide.
• Shortly before 11 p.m. Monday, Jenefer Holt Herron, 52, of Augusta, was fatally shot outside a Circle K at 1739 Walton Way, reportedly after an argument in the parking lot. Yelena Buckner, 33, of Augusta, was arrested.
• At 7:23 a.m. Monday, deputies were called to the 1900 block of Old Savannah Road, where a passing motorist found Johnnie Coleman, 72, of Augusta, who’d been shot dead.
• JaJuan Russell, 21, of the 700 block of East Chapman Street, was fatally shot early Sunday in the 3700 block of Oslo Road. Russell was taken to Augusta University Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at 1:14 a.m. An autopsy was scheduled with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
• Brandon Peebles, 24, of Girard, was shot around 10:45 p.m. Thursday in the 2300 block of Prague Court, the same neighborhood as Sunday’s shooting. He was pronounced dead at 11:23 p.m. Bowen said the victim’s body was sent to the GBI.

Copyright 2022 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.