FILE 278 / 29 April 2022 / 61 MIN / express

He's Dead... Where's My Beer?

Fort Oglethorpe, GeorgiaListen

The town

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James says the town he believes this happened in, an educated guess, is Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in Walker County. about 0:03:20

History, in brief

Town note

The US Army established a cavalry post at the site.

about 0:03:42

Town note

It sits next to the Chickamauga National Battlefield, an especially bloody Civil War battle.

about 0:03:45

Town note

The settlement was called Hargrave, after William Hamilton Hargrave, a Confederate soldier who owned most of the land with his wife.

about 0:03:59

1902

In 1902 the Army bought all the land and turned it into the base for the Sixth Cavalry.

about 0:04:16
All 8 history facts

Town note

The US Army established a cavalry post at the site.

about 0:03:42

Town note

It sits next to the Chickamauga National Battlefield, an especially bloody Civil War battle.

about 0:03:45

Town note

The settlement was called Hargrave, after William Hamilton Hargrave, a Confederate soldier who owned most of the land with his wife.

about 0:03:59

1902

In 1902 the Army bought all the land and turned it into the base for the Sixth Cavalry.

about 0:04:16

Town note

The post was later named Fort Oglethorpe after James Oglethorpe, founder of the Colony of Georgia.

about 0:04:32

Town note

During the First and Second World Wars the area was a wartime induction and processing centre and held German prisoners of war.

about 0:04:49

Town note

It was also a major training centre for the Women's Army Corps during the Second World War.

about 0:04:57

1947

The land was declared surplus in 1947 and returned to civilian hands; the town was incorporated in 1949.

about 0:05:05

The figures, as told

All figures and comparisons, as told in 2022

Population

"9,973"

No direction stated.

As told in 2022 about 0:07:32

Walker County population

"69,000"

No direction stated.

As told in 2022 about 0:07:19

The reviews

3.7 / 5 · average of 3

5 stars

“So diverse you can find anything here; there are many shopping and food opportunities and the jobs are incredible, Little Caesars specifically.”
about 0:08:41

5 stars

“Went to Lowe's for a washing machine and dryer; the salesman Bo was very nice and knowledgeable, showed several options and gave an approximate delivery time; great store and employees.”
about 0:08:41

1 star

“After an accident near Golden Corral the car had to be towed; the officer chose Guy Yates, the bill was $1,060 for a tow of no more than 30 miles plus 19 days of storage, and the town gives the business a licence to steal.”
about 0:10:11

In Georgia

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The story

Their marriage was violent in both directions.

The order cited heavy drinking, not eating or sleeping, violent behaviour and constant threats to kill Randall. The episode later says the shooting came less than a month after that commitment, which would place the commitment in 1997.

On 17 May 1997 the Owenses held a cookout at their trailer. By the afternoon she was very drunk, arguing with Randall and repeatedly threatening to kill him. Randall said he had had enough, went inside and lay down in the bedroom. Her daughter kept her occupied while the niece and her husband reconnected the wires, and the guests drove away.

She called 911 and said she may have shot her husband. She then handed him the gun and walked out. A few doors away she knocked on a neighbour's door and asked for a beer. She was standing outside drinking it when sirens approached, and she remarked that they were probably coming because she had shot her husband.

Police entered the trailer and found Randall face down on the floor between the kitchen and living room, with a trail of blood leading from the bedroom and a large blood stain on the bed. He had been shot in the back while lying in bed smoking a cigarette; the evidence suggested he had turned away from her as she fired. There were no signs of a struggle.

She said Randall had cursed at her about breakfast, shoved and slapped her, put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her, and cut her arm with a box cutter. She said that after the guests left she went to ask him to put out the charcoal grill, and that he climbed on top of her, slapping and choking her, so she grabbed the gun from the table and swung at him; it went off and he was shot in the back. The evidence showed no marks on her face or neck, and the arm wound looked like an old scratch rather than a box cutter injury. Her daughter, niece and the niece's husband contradicted her account.

The motion was amended on 14 July 2006, an evidentiary hearing was held on 21 July 2006, and the court denied the motion on 11 August 2006.

In 2017 the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed in part and vacated in part.

The case

Murder of Randall Owens

Victims

Randall Owens. husband, shot in the back while lying in bed

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 29 April 2022.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

A neighbour. gave a beer while she waited for the police

The timeline

  1. April 21st, 1996 sister and adult daughter obtain a probate court order involuntarily committing to a mental hospital.about 0:14:33
  2. May 17, 1997 The Owenses hold a cookout at their trailer; is already very drunk by the afternoon and argues with Randall. (Owens trailer)about 0:19:48
  3. May 17, 1997 accuses Randall of sleeping with her daughter, threatens to kill him and her, and says she is going to get her gun and shoot Randall. (Owens trailer)about 0:27:00
  4. May 17, 1997 Randall says he has had enough, goes inside and lies down in the bedroom. (Owens trailer)about 0:28:15
  5. May 17, 1997 The guests try to leave; tears handfuls of wires out of her daughter's car engine, and the niece and her husband repair the car before driving away. (Owens trailer)about 0:31:10
  6. May 17, 1997, about 11:30 p.m. goes to her brother-in-law's trailer, calls 911 and says she may have shot her husband. (Brother-in-law's trailer)about 0:34:19
  7. May 17, 1997, about 11:30 p.m. hands the gun to her brother-in-law and leaves. (Brother-in-law's trailer)about 0:34:37
  8. May 17, 1997, about 11:30 p.m. knocks on a neighbour's door, asks for a beer and drinks it outside; when sirens approach she says they are probably coming because she shot her husband. (Neighbour's house)about 0:35:05
  9. May 17, 1997, night Police enter the trailer and find Randall face down between the kitchen and living room, with a blood trail from the bedroom and a blood stain on the bed. (Owens trailer)about 0:36:31
  10. September 25th, 2006 The court enters an amended order again denying the motion and finds that she received effective assistance of counsel.about 0:51:11

Places and phrases

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Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode