Jeremiah Jackson, left, of Chickamauga, and Darrell Burgess, right, of Rossville, are being held in Walker County, Ga., awaiting extradition to Alabama to face murder charges in Cherokee County, Ala., stemming from a slaying Monday in the Farill community.
A pair of Walker County, Ga., men are behind bars awaiting extradition to Alabama to face murder charges in Cherokee County in connection with a Monday slaying in the Farill community.
Jeremiah Jackson, 21, of Garretts Chapel Road, Chickamauga, and Darrell Burgess, 36, of Lee Avenue, Rossville, were taken into custody late Monday as Cherokee County authorities launched an investigation into the slaying of 39-year-old Billy Ingram. He was found shot to death by deputies and officers with the Cedar Bluff Police Department about 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Burgess and Jackson are being held at the Walker County Jail in LaFayette, Ga., until they are returned to Alabama to face murder charges, according to Cherokee County Sheriff's Office officials.
Cherokee County authorities have not said what led to the shooting or exactly where it took place. Officials on Thursday would not provide additional details or expand on a departmental news release issued Tuesday by Sheriff Jeff Shaver.
Burgess and Jackson are being held at the Walker County Detention Center in LaFayette, according to officials there.
According to Shaver, the department's recently formed Major Crimes Unit, consisting of officers from multiple agencies, was used in the investigation to determine the suspects in the slaying.
"I know it's difficult for a family to have someone senselessly killed, and I'm thankful those responsible were apprehended so quickly," Shaver said.
Walker County officials said the men have not yet waived their extradition rights allowing them to be transferred to Cherokee County custody to face charges. Extradition is the action of surrendering a person accused of a crime to a jurisdiction in another state or country for prosecution.
Officials say the process for issuing a governor's warrant for extradition from one state to another can take up to 90 days.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.