UPDATE: Suspects in Lumpkin County home invasion currently being held without bond

LUMPKIN CO., GA
Four suspects in a Lumpkin County home invasion on August 17 are currently being held at the Lumpkin County Jail without bond.

Preston Andrew Anderson (18), Quintin Chase McConnell (18), Blake Mitchell McKinzie (17), and Gavyne Anthony Sowell (17) were arrested on August 17 for a home invasion that took place in Lumpkin County.

According to Lumpkin County deputy, Kyle Rosso, he responded to reports of a prowler off Margaret Drive, where upon arrival, he reported seeing an orange Chevrolet Cobalt. When he approached the vehicle, he states, “I observed a male subject frantically exit the vehicle and run into the woods.” The owner of vehicle was later identified as James McConnell. When questioned about the whereabouts of his Chevrolet, Mr. McConnell told Rosso that, “his son and a few of his friends had taken it from the home earlier that night.”

Russo also states seeing a, “dark in color four door passenger car drive down Old Ellijay East. The vehicle stopped in the road and began to turn around at the intersection of Old Ellijay East and Margaret Drive.” During the rush to turn the vehicle around, Russo reports that it “struck the bank as it was in reverse backing up.”

  The occupants of the vehicle, Steven Lewis and Eric Odum, reported to Russo that unknown, masked individuals had entered the front door of his residence, and they had were brandishing firearms. Lewis reported that he had “ran from his home and banged on the neighbors house” for help. The homeowner did not answer the door, but they did call 911, according to the police report.

Russo, along with Investigators Jason Canupp, Aaron Norrell, and Lumpkin County Deputy Sutton found McKinzie and McConnell hiding in a creek bed near the crime scene. Sowell was taken into custody and transported to Lumpkin County Detention Center later that night, after police responded to a 911 call where a citizen had reported an unknown person, dressed in all black walking down Highway 9 south near Siloam Church Road. Sowell admitted to participating in the home invasion earlier that evening.

Anderson was taken into custody the next day by the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office.

Items reported missing were a watch and speaker; a mask that possibly belonged to one of the suspects was retrieved from Lewis’ home.

 

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