PEACHTREE
3 graduate for jail jobs
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office welcomes three new graduates of the Detention Officer Certification Course – Corp. Christopher Baty, Corp. Anthony Strickland and Officer John Downs Jr. – according to a release.
The recruits graduated from Detention Officer Certification training at Tri-County Community College on Oct. 17. The three officers begin their careers as correctional officer trainees within the Cherokee County Detention Center in Murphy over the past year learning on-the-job training, and with their graduation they are certified in North Carolina in this field.
This certification-related Detention Officer Certification Course is offered under guidelines and requirements as set forth by N.C. Sheriffs’ Education & Training Standards Commission. Properly certified state instructors are used in all topic areas. Trainees must successfully pass a state administered exam as well as demonstrate competency in all skill areas in order to be eligible for certification as a detention officer. Lecture, demonstrations and practical exercises are primary methods of instruction.
“It takes a special type of person to do this job day-in and day-out, and it’s not for everyone. We as adult corrections officers can do other people’s job, but not everyone has the patience and fortitude to do our job,” said Major Montgomery Ward, training academy instructor.
“I am very proud of the men and women in this class for taking on this important role in law enforcement. This role is usually overlooked by the public because it goes un-seen, it is a very hard job and I am glad to honor them today as they begin their new journey into this career,” Capt. Chris Swanson said.
CORNELIA, Ga.
Body may be woman
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office have found what they believe to be the remains of Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez, who went missing last week, and a suspect has been arrested in her murder.
Rodriguez-Ramirez, 25, was last seen near Walmart around 9:30 p.m. Oct. 22; she was reported missing on Oct. 23. Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell said article search K-9s from the state were used to locate her remains, which were found on Furniture Drive, where Walmart is located.
GBI agents located Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanches, 24, at a bus station in Atlanta on Oct. 28. He was arrested on kidnapping charges in relation to Rodriguez-Ramirez’s disappearance. Rivera-Sanches, who also resides in Cornelia, was also charged with murder and is being held at the Habersham County Jail with bond denied, according to jail records.
Rodriguez-Ramirez garnered thousands of followers on TikTok, a mobile video app, where she documented fitness routines and shared stories about her daughter. A GoFundMe organized by Rodriguez-Ramirez’s family has collected more than $8,000 to pay for funeral expenses and transport her to Puerto Rico, where she was born. The GoFundMe can be found at gofund.me/9ffcf1fe.
Rodriguez-Ramirez’s remains were taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.
Details: Call the GBI at 800-597-8477 or submit tips at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.
ROBBINSVILLE
2 dead in apartment
The Graham County Sheriff’s Office has called in the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation after a startling find on the morning of Oct. 21.
Authorities were dispatched to 44 Tapoco Road around 8:30 a.m., where they found two men dead in a second-floor apartment. The structure houses Burchfield Contracting’s business office at the ground level.
Two other individuals were also found inside the apartment and rushed to two area hospitals: one to Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Peachtree, the other to Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Graham County Sheriff Brad Hoxit said Monday afternoon the cause of death was unknown, but autopsies would be performed on the two deceased individuals. Hoxit also confirmed that three of those involved in the incident were employed by Burchfield, and all four were Hispanic.
In addition to the SBI, Hoxit said he spoke with District Attorney Ashley Welch, and one of her assistant district attorneys was being sent to help with the investigation. The two people who were transported to medical facilities were set to be released from hospital care that afternoon.
BLUE RIDGE, Ga.
Lawsuit off vs. council
David Haight and Blue Ridge Mayor Rhonda Haight have dropped their lawsuits against council members Angie Arp, Bill Bivins, Jack Taylor and the city.
Motions were filed in each case by their attorney, Kurt R. Hilbert of Chambers, Adams, Backer & Kaufman LLC on Oct. 14, 2023, asking the lawsuits be dismissed “without prejudice.” That gives the Haights the option of filing the lawsuits again, correcting any errors in the form in which they were originally filed.
The lawsuits sought to have the three council members removed from office. While the city was not named in an individual action, each lawsuit contained language demanding a change in the city charter.
That change would have removed a provision allowing the mayor to be removed by three council members. The Haights’ lawsuit was originally filed on May 16.
Compiled by the Cherokee Scout and including reports from The Graham Star of Robbinsville, The News Observer of Blue Ridge, Ga., and The Northeast Georgian of Cornelia.