CONYERS - The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) has made two arrests in connection with Monday night's fatal shooting in the Ashford Brook apartment complex.
Orlando Cornelius Middlebrooks, 33, of 871 Honey Creek Road in Conyers, and Latres Deandre Peters, 25, of 502 Rockmont Circle in Conyers, are facing criminal charges for their roles in the incident that left Lee Marvin Hardeman, 48, of McDonough, Ga., dead in his truck.
According to the RCSO, Peters is believed to have been in a verbal argument with the Hardeman. Middlebrooks is believed to be the suspect who shot at Hardeman as Hardeman was leaving in his truck, fatally wounding him.
The suspects and the victim knew of each other prior to the shooting and it was probably a buildup from prior disagreements, says RCSO Cpl. Michael Camp.
"It wasn't a random act," he said.
A murder warrant was issued for Middlebrooks on Tuesday morning. He was arrested around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, in DeKalb County by the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and RCSO investigators.
Peters was arrested in Rex, Ga., in Clayton County, around 1 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, morning. He's being charged for hindering apprehension or punishment of criminal. Camp says he left the scene of the crime with Middlebrooks.
Both Middlebrooks and Peters are currently being held in the Rockdale County Jail without bond.
RCSO investigators are still trying to figure out what was the basis of the argument between Peters and Hardeman, says Camp. The RCSO is also awaiting the results of an autopsy being performed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Hardeman, the oldest of 12 siblings, was survived by his wife, son and six stepchildren.
In his obituary, he was described as "full of life and energy and loved to tell jokes; making people laugh was the light of any gloomy day. He was quick to tell you what was on his mind and didn't care if it offended you. Although, he could be stern at times, he was also very loving and kind."
