Arrest Made In Pastor Death Case

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Lt. Edwin Wilson of the Stephens County Sheriff's Office falsified records to cover for a drug agent who shot and killed a Toccoa pastor.

Wilson oversaw all of the training for the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office. GBI spokesman John Bankhead said, "It's a position of trust and you have to make sure the people who are in these positions are honest about what they do."

The district attorney asked the GBI to re-examine the training records three months ago, after a Channel 2 Action News investigation revealed Stephens County deputy and Mountain Drug Task Force Agent Billy Shane Harrison had not completed his required training, and therefore had no arrest powers on the day of the shooting.

He and two other agents approached Pastor Jonathan Ayers in a gas station parking lot to question him about his involvement with a prostitute on Sept. 1. Instead of stopping, the pastor backed his car into an agent. A grand jury ruled Harrison acted within the law after Georgia’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Council said his records were up to date.

Channel 2 Action News investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer asked POST about the deficiencies in March, at which time the GBI thought Harrison’s records were up to date.

"We found out later, after your inquiry, that they weren't. And we were told later by POST that we didn't ask the right question, which is nonsense," said Bankhead.

After the case was re-opened, the GBI said Wilson falsely produced a document claiming he took Harrison to the range and qualified him when he was hired. But the date on the letter didn't match and, when questioned, Harrison told the truth about Wilson.

"It was his responsibility, apparently, to make sure all the officers that were under his supervision were adequately trained. So it appears he was doing this to make it look like he was doing his job," said Bankhead.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley called Wilson’s actions stupid and sad, and fired him immediately following the arrest.

The GBI is still completing its investigation of the training records. The district attorney will decide whether to take the shooting case back to the grand jury.

Harrison has been on administrative leave since the Channel 2 investigation in March.

The district attorney is also reviewing all of the other arrests Harrison made while his training wasn't up to date.

The GBI, POST and the DA all support legislative changes to make officers immediately report their training to the state, so it can do a better job keeping up with the records.