A Waycross man who went to rescue his niece from a domestic dispute was shot to death early Sunday when he tried to drive away after a fistfight with a Ware County man now charged with murder.
William Preston Cowart, 36, died after being shot several times with a high-power, 7mm rifle about 12:30 a.m. at Kevin Alan Sears' home in the 5000 block of Hayley Way, Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal told the Times-Union.
Sears, 21, remained jailed without bail Tuesday on a murder and aggravated assault charges. Sears is charged with shooting Cowart while Cowart and his girlfriend tried to drive away after intervening in a dispute between Sears and Cowart's niece, Royal said.
Deputies found Cowart dead slumped over the steering wheel of his Nissan Pathfinder a short distance away from Sears' front porch. After arresting Sears, deputies searched his home and found a rifle they suspect was used in the shooting, Royal said.
Sears, Cowart and the two women had gone together to several nightclubs earlier in the evening, Royal said.
Authorities withheld the names of the women, who were not injured, because the investigation is ongoing.
Cowart and his girlfriend dropped his niece and Sears off at Sears' home.
A short time later, they returned after the niece sent a text message saying she needed help.
Witnesses told deputies that Sears and Cowart's niece were in a heated dispute when Cowart and his girlfriend arrived and intervened, Royal said. They distracted Sears long enough for Cowart's niece to flee.
Sears and Cowart then got into a fistfight, the preliminary investigation showed.
Cowart, who was unarmed, and his girlfriend then left the home. Sears followed them outside as they went toward Cowart's Pathfinder.
After Cowart got into the driver's seat, he was shot several times with a rifle. Cowart's niece had been getting into her car to leave when the gunfire erupted, Royal said.
Deputies found Sears was standing in the yard near the Pathfinder and arrested him without incident, Royal said.
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