By Jeffry Scott
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOWNS COUNTY, Ga. — A Towns County sheriff’s deputy charged in connection with a shooting attack on a local resident last month appeared to have committed suicide at his home Wednesday night, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
GBI spokesman John Bankhead said Jesse Gibson, 56, was found outside his home, the victim of what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Gibson was allegedly the driver on the night of July 9 when fellow Towns County chief deputy Eddie Osborn allegedly fired gunshots into the home of Gary Dean.
A week later, Gibson and Osborn were charged with aggravated assault in the shooting. The GBI said Osborn shot up Dean’s home because Dean was having an affair with Osborn’s wife. Last week, Towns County sheriff Rudy Eller was charged with lying to GBI investigators and hiding evidence to protect Osborn.
The case has roiled local politics in the mountain county north of Atlanta.
Eller was released on bond and is still sheriff. Last week, Gov. Sonny Perdue named a panel to recommend whether Eller should be suspending from office.
District Attorney Stanley Gunter said he hopes to take the cases to the grand jury to the grand jury when it next meets in September.
Bankhead said Gibson left behind an audiotape he made for his family and the tape is “now in the possession of the GBI.” Gibson’s attorney, Mike Weaver, of Gainesville, said he was shocked by Gibson’s suicide: “I talked to him a few days ago and I never for a minute would have thought this would happen.”
Weaver, who also represents Eller, said Gibson believed that when the facts came out in the case “his involvement was not as bad as it was alleged. Anybody who knows him would tell you that he was a very nice, salt of the earth guy. It’s just a very sad day.”
Weaver said he had spoken to Eller about Gibson’s death. “I know he [Eller] is very sad about it,” he said.
Assistant chief district attorney Jeff Langley said his office asked the GBI to take over the investigation into Gibson’s death from the sheriff’s office Thursday morning. An autopsy is planned Thursday to determine the cause of death. County coroner Dr. Robert Stahlkuppe declined comment, referring questions to the GBI.
Copyright 2007 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution