By RAY LIGHTNER
Journal Staff Writer
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is still actively investigating the shooting death of former Westfield graduate Doris Annette Spillers Worrell.
In a press release Thursday, the GBI said it is actively following leads almost daily and is attempting to piece together exactly what happened to Worrell, who died from a single gunshot wound on Sept. 20, 2006.
Worrell was found dead inside Jon’s Sports Park by her husband Jon that morning at approximately 11:15 a.m. The park which includes, miniature golf, go-carts, a driving range, arcade and skating rink, is owned by Jon Worrell and has since be renamed the Fun Place.
The park was closed at the time of the shooting, according to published reports. Coffee County Sheriff Jerry Pope said that afternoon that Doris Worrell may have been in the park restocking while it was closed.
Pope said at the time that he couldn’t comment on a possible motive for the shooting or whether or not law enforcement had a description of the possible suspect. “We’re looking in every corner of the county trying to find out what’s going on,” the sheriff said the afternoon of the shooting.”
GBI Agent Russell Mansfield of the Douglas office said Thursday another person, possibly an employee, was in the park at the time of the shooting but did not witness the shooting. He would not provide any other details of the case including possible suspects.
“We are safeguarding information in the case,” he explained and did not want to jeopardize the case.
The GBI is doing everything in its power to bring the killer to justice, but cannot release too many details as the investigation continues. Russell assured family members and friends, “this is not a closed case, it is not a dead case.”
Russell said the case has really taken a toll on the Douglas community and this area too as Worrell has family and friends in Perry and Fort Valley. “A case like this,” Russell said, “where an innocent person is killed – not doing anything wrong, just at work – is really a shock to the community.”
Family and friends and a memorial Web page for Doris Worrell, called Friends of Doris, which has photos and memories. It is at friendsofdoris.com and pictures and memories can be submitted to friends@friendsofdoris.com.
Gov. Sonny Perdue issued an executive order offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to identification, arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the murder.
The GBI asks that anyone with knowledge of the events that occurred that day to come forward and contact them at (912) 389-4103.
