UPDATE: On April 30, 2021, a Lowndes County grand jury returned a “no bill” against Tonya Alexander, essentially saying there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant further prosecution. District Attorney Brad Shealy said his office will not continue to seek the murder charge, though she will stand trial for aggravated assault.

VALDOSTA — Police have made an arrest in a weekend shooting death in Valdosta.

Tonya Alexander, 33, of Valdosta was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, according to a statement from the Valdosta Police Department. She was taken into custody the night of the incident, while arrest warrants were obtained Monday, said Police Chief Leslie Manahan.

Around 10:53 p.m. Saturday, officers and EMTs responded to a 911 call from the 2400 block of Bemiss Road. Officers found a man dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Detectives determined that the shooter and the victim were at a party when they became involved in an altercation, which resulted in the shooting, the statement said.

Police identified the victim as Sherrod Leonard, 35, of Valdosta.

“I am proud of the quick response of our officers who were able to get the offender into custody quickly, along with the thorough investigative work of our detectives. The assistance that we received from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol with crowd control is a great example of teamwork between the agencies,” Manahan said.