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Armless Artist Questioned In Neighbor's Death

Posted: 7:20 am EDT September 18, 2007Updated: 3:46 pm EDT September 18, 2007

Police questioned a well-known armless artist Monday about the death of his neighbor.

Relatives of Charles Keith Teer, 47, claim he died after the armless man, William Russell Redfren, head-butted and kicked Teer during a fight.

The two men lived across the street from each other on Pine Street in the Atlanta suburb.

Teer's relatives told police the men were arguing over a woman.

"He's dating my brother's ex-girlfriend," said Teer's sister Lynn Elliot. "My neighbor left my brother for this guy, so it's a verbal argument between them the whole time."

Elliot said the armless man attacked her brother.

"They got into a big confrontation, a verbal confrontation and a fist fight and he came after my brother, he came with full force, and head butted him as hard as he could," said Elliot.

She said Teer collapsed and died a short time after the fight.

After an autopsy, the Gwinnett County medical examiner said Tuesday that Teer died of a heart attack. He also said Teer suffered from existing heart problems.

"There's an ongoing investigation but he died within five minutes," said Elliot. "They took off running right after he got hit. He (my brother) was still standing when they left, but my daughter was here, and he leaned against the truck and said, 'I'm about to faint,' and he hit the my driveway before anything could be done."

Police questioned Redfren, and will decide if any charges will be filed, according to Lt. Robert Stevens of the Snellville Police Department.

"I hope the guy pays for what he's done to my brother because my brother had a kind heart," said Elliot.

Known by the nickname "Rusty," Redfern made a name for himself in the late 1980s for pen and ink drawings he does using his foot.

He was one of six Georgians selected to represent the state at the 1989 International Arts Festival in Washington and was commissioned by Georgia's then-Secretary of State Max Cleland for a series of illustrations depicting the state capitol.

He started Redfern Originals in 1987, producing Christmas cards, stationary and limited-edition prints.

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