An arrest has been made in connection with a 14-year-old Georgia murder case.
According to WSB-TV2, Scotty Elliot Smith was taken into custody on Friday and faces charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, hiding the death of another, and tampering with evidence, after he reportedly admitted to the murder of Blake Chappell.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, according to the Newnan Police Department, 17-year-old Chappell vanished on October 16, 2011.
He was found murdered two months later.
Chappell went missing after attending a homecoming dance at East Coweta High School. He was last seen that evening walking through the Summergrove subdivision in Newnan.
His body was discovered by police on December 18, 2011. An autopsy revealed he had been shot in the head. Investigators reported that Chappell was found lying face-down in a neighborhood creek, clothed only in his underwear.
Smith had not been considered a suspect in Chappell’s killing until recently. He became a person of interest, and detectives now have evidence to connect him to the crime, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
“This arrest is the result of countless hours of dedication by the Newnan Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, along with the direct, professional support of the Coweta County DA’s Investigators,” the department stated.
“We express our gratitude to the community for their ongoing support and cooperation throughout this extended process. The dedication of our partners and the community’s trust has been crucial in seeking justice.”
This is still an open investigation, and investigators encourage anyone with additional information to contact Det. Marcos Gonzalez or Lt. Chris Robinson at (770) 254-2355.
[Feature Photo: Blake Chappell/Family Handout]
