The man suspected of fatally shooting his uncle waived his right to a preliminary court hearing Monday.

Christopher Denson is accused of killing Newton County school board member Almond Turner on the night of Nov. 23 at an event hall in Meridian, Mississippi.

Denson allegedly left a birthday part that night, retrieved an AK-47 from his car and returned to fire five or six shots, striking Turner in the head and chest.

The Meridian Star reported Denson’s bond was reduced Monday to $700,000. He had been held in the Lauderdale County, Mississippi, jail under $1 million bond since his arrest Nov. 24.

He is also charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, which tacks on $5,000 bond.

Turner, a retired assistant chief from the Covington Police Department, died at the scene. He was 69. His funeral service was Monday at Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers, where he was a deacon.

Municipal Court Judge Robbie Jones said Turner and Denson seemed to have a difficult relationship.

“It either had to be some prior difference of opinion between the two gentlemen or some other occurrence,” Jones said in remarks reported by The Star.

“It’s another one of those senseless acts that ends up being tragic.”

A grand jury will consider the case.