Kevin Andrew Wheatley of Brantley County has been arrested and charged with the murder of a Hortense woman. Brantley County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a welfare check and found a deceased female with gunshot wounds. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist and Wheatley was arrested the following day. He is facing charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony. Further information has not been provided by authorities. The Brunswick News reported
Brantley County Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest Kevin Andrew Wheatley for Murder of Hortense Woman
Brantley County Sheriff’s deputies have recently apprehended Kevin Andrew Wheatley, a resident of Brantley County, on charges of murder. The arrest follows an incident in which deputies received a welfare check call for a female at a residence on Willies Lane in the Popwellville community on July 18. Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement discovered the lifeless body of a woman in the yard, with evidence suggesting she had been shot. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was called in to provide assistance for the subsequent investigation.
The victim has been identified as Finesta Veal, 62, according to documents provided by Stacy Carson, the special agent in charge of the GBI’s Kingsland office. The GBI joined the investigation on July 19, and the arrest of Wheatley occurred the following day without any incident.
Kevin Wheatley, 41, also a resident of Hortense, has been booked into the Brantley County Detention Center on multiple charges including felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of certain felonies, abuse of an elderly or disabled adult, and tampering with evidence, among others.
As of now, neither the GBI nor the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office has released any further information regarding the case. This arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation, and authorities will continue to work diligently to ensure justice is served in this tragic incident..
![](https://countylocalnews.com/article1/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot_20240727_161725_Chrome-1-587x1024.jpg)
![](https://countylocalnews.com/article1/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot_20240727_161804_Chrome-1-583x1024.jpg)
![](https://countylocalnews.com/article1/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot_20240727_161842_Chrome-582x1024.jpg)
![](https://countylocalnews.com/article1/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot_20240727_161453_Chrome-844x1024.jpg)