CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A man who was accused of a shooting a Clayton County officer and a robbery victim is no longer a suspect. Police are now looking for a new suspect.
Police admit to a case of mistaken identity and all charges relating to the March double shooting have been dropped against Arterio Crumbley.
Police have now identified Charles Jacoby Santana Payne as a suspect in the shooting and they are searching for him.
Channel 2′s Tom Regan went to Riverdale Road in Clayton County where the shooting happened.
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On March 2, Clayton County police responded to a shopping center on Riverdale Road to reports of an armed robbery. Police said a suspect shot Officer Ryan Richey and the robbery victim before he ran from the scene.
Police said they spoke with several witnesses and the victim and later identified Crumbley as a suspect.
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Investigators released his photo the public to be on the lookout for him. Crumbley later turned himself in that night but maintained his innocence and provided an alibi to officers.
Clayton County police said they verified his alibi and dropped the warrants on March 16.
Crumbley was with his girlfriend, Salia Bedford, at the time of the shooting.
“I’m happy, but I feel they made comments to try to justify it,” Bedford said.
Bedford said he was far from the parking lot where the shooting happened.
Crumbley remained booked at the Henry County Jail on another warrant for violation of probation for a different incident.
“He thinks he is owed an apology. He thinks he should released,” Bedford said.
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