VALDOSTA —
The man accused of the shooting death of former Lowndes football standout Ed Christian and two other men Saturday night at an Auburn, Ala. apartment complex turned himself in late Tuesday night, according to a report by The Associated Press.
The report indicates that Desmonte Leonard, 22, was taken into custody Tuesday night in Montgomery, Ala.
Attorney Susan James said she received a text message from her law office about noon Tuesday saying Leonard's family was reaching out to her to assist in Leonard's surrender. She arranged for Leonard to turn himself in around 7:50 p.m. at a courthouse in Montgomery.
The funeral arrangements for Christian, 20, have been announced.
The family will hold a public viewing from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday at the Blankumsee Funeral Home in Quitman. The funeral home is located at 1108 East Screven Street in Quitman.
The funeral service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mathis City Auditorium in Valdosta.
Christian was one of three Auburn students that were shot and killed Saturday night while attending a pool party at the University Heights Apartment Complex.
The former Lowndes standout was reportedly attempting to break up a fight between two men when he was shot.
Christian last played for the Vikings in 2009, when he was named an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 player. In 2007, Christian was a member of Lowndes’ state football championship team, helping make up the offensive line that earned the nickname the ‘Mayflower Movers.’
Following his senior season, Christian earned a scholarship to play football at Auburn University, where he was redshirted during the Tigers’ national championship season. Last season, Christian suffered a back injury that brought his career to an end.
Despite not being a member of the football team, Auburn head coach Gene Chizik told Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson that Christian was still attending study hall sessions and was doing well at Auburn.
Along with this weekend’s funeral arrangements, the Lowndes football team plans to honor Christian throughout the upcoming 2012 season, says McPherson.
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