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On Monday, August 30, 2021, Decatur County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Timothy Fowler and Deputy Patrick Wilkson responded to a call for a welfare check on the 700 block of Greenshade Road. Upon arrival, Fowler found a deceased body, later identified as Willie Walker.

According to reports, Fowler arrived on scene and made contact with Walker’s neighbor, Gilberto Garcia.

Garcia stated approximately 30-45 minutes prior to DCSO’s arrival, his son heard what sounded like gunshots outside his bedroom window. Garcia said his son sounded concerned, so he immediately went to check the outside of the residence through his living room window.

While looking out the window, Garcia noticed a black silhouette walking along the wood line of his neighbor’s yard. Garcia said he waited for the silhouette to disappear before exiting his residence to check on his neighbor.

Garcia said Willie had always told him if he ever needed him to knock on his bedroom window, so Garcia began knocking repeatedly with no answer. He then knocked on the front door and back door with still no response. Garcia then called 911.

After speaking with Garcia, Fowler made his way toward Walker’s front porch, where he attempted to make contact with Walker.

After knocking several times and announcing his presence, Fowler noticed the front door was not secured.

Wilkinson and Sergeant Edwin Harvey then joined Fowler on the scene to make entry into the residence.

The deputies entered the home, drawing their work issued weapons and commanding those in the home to make themselves known.

Fowler made a safety sweep in what appeared to be the living room, where he immediately faced the sofa and saw a male slumped over.

Fowler approached the male and noticed a gunshot wound right below his right ear and immediately checked for a pulse.

Finding no pulse, Fowler commanded for a full sweep of the rest of the residence. Deputies moved from room to room, finding no one else inside.

Fowler then notified E-911 of the deceased male and the gunshot wound, before marking off the scene with crime tape and turning it to over to Investigator Vincent Edmond for further investigation.

Edmond began processing the scene and spoke with several family members, all of whom stated Walker had an ongoing feud with an individual.

This individual has now been named as a person of interest.

DCSO Chief Wendell Cofer said Captain Elijah McCoy and Edmond are working around the clock on this homicide investigation and at this time he does not believe the person of interest to be a threat to the community.