Douglasville Man Killed Friend With Hammer, Convicted Of Murder

DOUGLASVILLE, GA -- A Douglasville man was convicted of murder Monday after a jury found him guilty of killing his friend, Manuel "Manny" Palmer, with a hammer in 2017.

James Dewayne Shelton now faces a possible sentence of life in prison without parole. The case was tried before Superior Court Judge William H. "Beau" McClain who will preside over sentencing, June 17.

On April 28, 2017, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call to check the welfare of Manny Palmer whose mobile home door had been left open and had not been shut for a couple hours. The caller described this as unusual and out of his normal routine. The Sheriff's Office responded and found Palmer lying on his side with the claw end of a roofing hammer lodged in the side of his head. He was non-responsive and transferred to Grady Hospital where he ultimately passed away from his injuries.

The Sheriff's Office conducted an investigation and determined Palmer had been attacked inside of his home. There were no signs of struggle inside of the home nor were any items missing from the home. The investigation immediately centered on James Shelton, who was a friend of Palmer's and was the last person to place a telephone call to him.

Law Enforcement interviewed Shelton twice as part of the investigation and both times he gave inconsistent alibis and stated he never saw the victim the night of the attack. Law Enforcement was able to obtain video surveillance that put Shelton 900 feet from the crime scene just before the attack occurred. Shelton also made a telephone call from the Douglas County Jail stating he was inside the home prior to the attack which was inconsistent with the prior statements he had given during the investigation.

Deputy Chief Assistant Jeff Gore said, "Manny Palmer was beloved by friends and family. Although there is nothing we can do to bring Manny back, I hope that this verdict brings some closure and justice to his family and friends."

Assistant District Attorney Cusack credited investigator Ken Aycock of the Major Crimes Unit for his thorough investigation.

"Without Investigator Aycock's hard work and dedication to this case it would have been impossible to prove this case," he said. "His work on this case was extraordinary."

District Attorney Ryan Leonard thanked the jury for their service in this case.

"This jury set aside their lives and obligations for a whole week," he said. "They worked tirelessly and diligently to make their decision and I applaud them for their service to Douglas County."

The case was tried by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jeff Gore and Assistant District Attorney Joe Cusack.