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CPD nabs suspect in Wednesday’s Dollar General robbery
williams.jpg
Darryl Welch
Published: Dec 11, 2018, 12:28 PM

COVINGTON, Ga. – Less than 48 hours after he allegedly robbed a Dollar General on Highway 278, a Gum Tree Court man was arrested for the crime by Covington police.

According to a press release by Covington Police Department Capt. Ken Malcom, 52-year-old Charles Thomas Williams was arrested Dec. 7 after a traffic stop on Salem Road with the assistance of the Georgia State Patrol.

“Thanks to the quick response by our patrol team and a thorough investigation of all of the evidence by our detectives we were able to identify the suspect. The Georgia State Patrol assisted CPD with surveillance of the area where the suspect lived and together located the offender today driving on Salem Road,” Malcom wrote in Friday’s release,” This dangerous armed robbery suspect was arrested without incident and is now off of our streets.”

Williams allegedly went into the Dollar General at 6185 Highway 278 Dec. 5 just before 9:30 p.m. and grabbed one of two employees by his shirt, pressing what was thought to be gun against the back of his head. 

After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, he reportedly forced both employees to the back of the store before leaving at 9:31 p.m.

According to CPD, the surveillance video showed that Williams did not have a gun but did portray having one by pushing his finger or a knife against the back of the victim’s head.

Williams is currently jailed charged with armed robbery and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime.
Newton County jury finds Covington man guilty of felony murder
Shane Robinson
Shane Robinson - photo by Courtesy of the Newton County Sheriff's Office
Kate Verity
Published: Mar 31, 2025, 9:15 PM

NEWTON COUNTY – On Monday afternoon, 30-year-old Shane Alexander Robinson of Covington was found guilty of killing Charles Edward Stanley III over three years ago.

The Newton County District Attorney’s Office released that a jury deemed that Robinson was guilty on three charges: Felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

On March 5, 2022, sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight, Robinson shot an AR-style firearm at a vehicle that Stanley was driving along Harvey Wood Drive. According to the District Attorney’s release, Robinson fired the weapon 13 times into the vehicle, killing Stanley.

According to a previous report by The Covington News, an arrest warrant stated that Robinson “grabbed his AR-15 (rifle) and drove” from his home to Harvey Wood Drive to “scare” Stanley.

“When Charles was backing up, Shane admitted to firing several rounds at the vehicle,” the 2022 warrant stated. “Furthermore, Shane also initially stated that he fired rounds at the vehicle as it was driving away.”

Robinson initially faced charges of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, unauthorized discharge of firearms within 50 yards of the public highway, and reckless conduct. It is not clear if some of these charges were dismissed.

Sentencing is set for a later date, which has not been announced. A co-defendant’s case is still pending.