lounti S xorad IIIIII~II~lIII ] A iinl WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2007 M 100th Year, No. 52 N BLOUNTSTOWN, FLORIDA 32424 N 50 CENTS (Including Tax) i~i'4 0111U TRAGEDY Cause of baby's death unknown BY KELLI PEACOCK News Editor The death of an Altha baby remains a mystery as the Bay County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the cause "pending further studies." Authorities say one- month-old Jax Lee Gilley was found unresponsive on the morning of Aug. 17 in a double bed he shared with his, parents, Betty Adkins, 19, and Eric Lee Gilley, 24. Major Roman Wood of the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office responded to the family's home on Shuman Ferry Road just after 9:30 a.m. and found the child had been dead for some time. The mother advised she last saw her son alive at midnight when she fed him a bottle at bedtime. According to a spokesperson with the Medical Examiner's Office, testing should be completed by Nov. 20. -a 'Rccord ONLINE www thecountyrecord.net SEE A PHOTO YOU LIKE? BuY IT ONLINE! -01 (I APALACHICOLA RIVER Aug. 29...8PM... .5' ,Aug. 31...8PM... 4' Sept. 2...6AM... 4' ACE0 The helpful place. John Madden's Kickoff Sale Don't Pass on These Holiday Weekend Specials Friday-Monday ONLY! Aug. 31 -Sept, 3 'APPLIANCES -PAINT' LUMBER -BUILDING MATERIALS -TOOLS * FLOOR COVERING & MORE WALDORFF ACE HARDWARE 25615 N. Main St., ALTHA, FLA. 762-3228 CRIME Lt. Adam Terry (left) and Dep. Eddie Daltdn lead suspect Vernon Mercer Jones to a patrol car after he was captured following a short pursuit July 13. Following a lengthy investigation, charges are being filed against Jones and his alleged accomplice for conspiracy to com- mit armed robbery. PHOTO BY KELLI PEACOCK/THE COUNTY RECORD Career criminals in custody 'BY KELLI PEACOCK News Editor Two career criminals released from prison earlier this year are back behind bars at the Leon County Jail. The pair are being held for violating their probation, but they will soon be facing much more serious charges here in Calhoun County. According to Lt. Adam Terry of the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office, charges are being - filed against Vernon Mercer ,.Jones, 38, and Anthony Arnielous Ashley, 38, for conspiracy to commit armed rob- bery at the Kelli -Wireless Nextel store in Blountstown. The case began on the afternoon of Friday, July 13, when the Sheriffs Office received a call from a teenage girl working as a cook at Lindy's Fried Chicken on SR 20 West. Lt. Terry responded and the girl advised she was working in the restaurant's kitchen when she noticed three black males peering through the back door of the busi- ness. When she made eye contact with them, the trio went around to POLiiCS Council election Tullesday BY KELL PEACOCK News Editor Election day is Tuesday, Sept. 4, in Blountstown and voters are reminded to cast their ballot to fill a vacancy on the City Council.., Phillip Hill, Jr., Edward Holley, and Ronnie Williams, Sr. are all vying for the Ward 1 seat previously held by Clifford Jackson. Early voting continues this week through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Calhoun County Supervisor of Elections office in the courthouse base- merit. Election day ballots will be cast at the Blountstown Library. Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the front of the'restaurant, entered through the main door, and inquired 'about purchasing 100 chicken wings. They were given the price, left out the front door, then turned up moments later at the back door once again. The girl then called authori- ties and the men fled. Lt. Terry began searching the area and went to the adjacent prop- erty occupied by R & R Warehouses where he found a black male seated in a car and decided to approach. "He made some suspicious state- ments," Lt. Terry tells The County. Record. "He said he was waiting on his partners. I asked, 'Where are your partners?' and he said he did- n't know, but they had rented a storage unit and they went to get a key. Obviously, when you rent a storage unit you are given a key so I knew his story wasn't right." Lt. Terry called for backup and BPD Ofc. David Creamer responded, along with CCSO Deputies Darryl Temple and Eddie Dalton. Ofc. Creamer waited with the man in the car while the others searched for the other two men. Lt. Terry approached the Kelli Wireless I(extel store, locat- ed between R & R Warehouses and Lindy's. A black male fitting the description of one of the men exited, the front door of the business. "When I exited my vehicle and asked him to come to me, he didn't speak - he just turned and rushed back in the store," Lt. Terry reports. Inside, he ,spotted another black" male, fitting the description of the other man he was seeking. The pair were later identified as Jones and Ashley. Also in the store was Erica Holley, a sales clerk at the business. Lt. Terry immediately asked both men to step outside. "Anthony Ashley started toward the door and stopped," says Lt. Terry. "Jones did not move. I told them again to go out the door.. Ashley ran his hand in his front right pocket and I told him to take it out. When he didn't, for offi- cer safety, I grabbed him and shoved him out the door and we wound up on the ground. While I was getting him down, a former correctional offi- cer from South Florida who hap- pened to be at the business, assist- ed me in getting him in custody." See CAREER CRIMINALS, page 2 Tigers, fans celebrate new season Blountstown High School students and Tiger fans from around the community converged at the BHS auditorium last Tuesday night for a pep rally to celebrate the beginning of football and volleyball season. Players and cheerleaders were introduced as the crowd cheered. Honored during the festivities were the 1977 state championship football team and cheer- leaders. The Tigers will kickoff the season Friday against Marianna. Turn to page 7 for more. 1 PI'~ ' .t -' - . , .. . . . .7, 7__ ""'18122"04 - Blountstown, FL 674-3838 I COURT Trial endsin guilty verdict BY KELLI PEACOCK News Editor A Calhoun County man accused of robbing the Southern Express on Central Avenue East in Blountstown earlier this found guilty at trial last week. According to State Attorney Steve Meadows, the jury of iANeus m one male and five females deliberated about 35 minutes last Tuesday before finding Angus Kelley, 32, guilty in the February 6 incident..The jury also found that Kelley wore a mask during the rob- , bery. That finding makes the charge a first-degree felony, punishable by up.to 39 years in prison. Both the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office and Blountstown Police Department responded to the robbery call. According to their reports, the clerk on duty was attempting to lock the store 'and set the alarm when a man, armed with a crowbar, entered the busi- ness and grabbed her arm. She said he stated he would not harm her, but wanted the money. He made off with an undetermined amount of cash. The clerk told authori- ties the man had been in the store twice on her shift and she was able to identify Kelley from a photo lineup of six white males. Running tracks were located, leading from the store to Elmore Avenue where a vehicle had spun off. The vehicle the clerk had described was located on Fuqua Circle, but was unoc- cupied. A witness reported seeing two white males - one barefoot - park the Chevy Blazer, get into another vehi- cle driven by Jamie Dawson, then leave the area. Dawson was located and advised he had given Kelley and Patrick Glenn Manning a ride to Pine Island. Authorities went See TRIAL, page 2 HOWIES LUNCH BOX 1. Baked Spaghetti & Howies Bread 2. Any Small Salad & Howie Bread 3. Wing Snack & Spicy Stix 4. Howie Bread W/Cheese 5. Small 1-Topping Pizza 6. Any Small Sub Served With A Pepsi Product Lunch Combos for Only.. $569 11 AM to 4PM DINE IN OR CARRY OUT 19838 SR 20 WEST . I JL