VALDOSTA — Two murder suspects have been granted bond in Lowndes County Superior Court.
Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine confirmed that 29-year-old Brandon Lee Thompson and 20-year-old Lorenzo Bernard Countee Jr. were each granted $100,000 bond by Judge H. Arthur “Mac” McLane Tuesday.
“I am surprised that bond was set,” Prine said. “But I respect Judge McLane’s decision because he has always been fair and impartial.”
Thompson has been in Lowndes County Jail since October after being charged with murder and cruelty toward children in the death of his girlfriend’s daughter, Abriana Thomas.
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, emergency medical services were dispatched to 5200 Sequani Circle in Lake Park to find Thomas unresponsive.
The child was initially transported to South Georgia Medical Center for treatment. She was then transported to Shand’s Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., by an area Life Flight program. Thomas succumbed to injuries the next day. A subsequent autopsy performed at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Atlanta determined that the child died of blunt force trauma.
Thompson’s lawyer, Attorney Charles A. Wetherington previously told The Times that Thompson had nothing to do with Thomas’ death and described the suspect as a loving father. Thompson lived with his girlfriend, Amanda, in Lake Park with her three small children, as well as his two small sons, both of whom he was awarded full custody of in a divorce proceeding, Wetherington said.
“On the night of the tragic accident, the family ordered pizza and Amanda left to pick it up with Brandon’s 2-year-old son,” Wetherington explained. “Brandon remained at home with the four other children watching television.”
Wetherington said that Abriana had to “go potty,” so she walked down the hall to use the bathroom.
“Moments later, Brandon said he heard a large thud from the bathroom. He went into the room and found her lying on the floor. He tried to pick her up and there was no response. He then realized something had gone tragically wrong.”
In response to the Wetherington’s stance that Thompson is innocent, Prine said that evidence collected during the investigation shows otherwise.
“The arrest was made based on testimony from witnesses and the pathology report from the crime lab in Atlanta,” Prine said.
Countee has been in jail since August after being charged with murder in the shooting death 24-year-old Antonio Jermaine Mitchell and aggravated assault of Desmond Jones.
Countee was one of six people arrested in connection with the shooting. Others include Lewis Mitchell Jr., 19, Cheryl Core, 19, Aianza Wheeler, 18, Raynard Reid, 17, and Michael Mitchell, 18.
The shooting occurred Sunday, July 5, at Stone Creek Apartments, located at 1197 Melody Lane.
About 1:30 a.m., Valdosta police were dispatched to the apartment complex to find Mitchell dead inside a vehicle in the complex parking lot, along with an injured man, Desmond Jones, near one of the apartment buildings. Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies, according to Valdosta police.
Jones was given first aid and transported to an area hospital, where treated and later released.
Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney Cathy Helms previously told The Times that bond for serious violent felonies, such as murder, can only be granted in superior court. In addition, Georgia law requires that a bond be granted if a defendant is not indicted within 90 days of his or her arrest, even if the defendant is charged with murder.
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