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Two men, Nathaniel Lewis Cummings, age 38, of Eastman and Jeffery Madison, age 20, of Eastman have be named as the persons responsible for the murders of Greg Giddens and Jimmy Gay, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Todd Lowery.
According to SAC Lowery, Cummings is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of armed robbery and is still on the run from law enforcement. He is described as a black male, approximately six feet four inches tall, weighs approximately 180 pounds and may or may not be wearing glasses. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
Madison was arrested on Monday, June 3 in Bibb County after fleeing from the Georgia State Patrol in a stolen vehicle. After he was apprehended, he was held on a burglary charge from Laurens County. Madison was charged with two counts of murder and two counts armed robbery on Wednesday, June 5, 2013. He is currently in the Dodge County Jail.
The GBI, Dodge County Sheriff’s Department and Eastman Police Department are working together to apprehend Cummings.
Giddens was found at his residence on Page Street in Eastman on May 11, 2013. Gay was found near a dumpster site on Harry Hargrove Road near Eastman on May 31, 2013.
Anyone with information about Cummings’ whereabouts or the two murder cases are asked to call the GBI at 478-374-6988 or the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department at 478-374-8133.

Authorities are investigation a murder that occurred on Friday, May 31.

At approximately 8:40 p.m., law enforcement officials and rescue personnel were called to the site where dumpsters are located on Harry Hargrove Road just south of Eastman. A person from the area had gone to the dumpsters and discovered a body and a vehicle and then called for help. [Full Story »] 

Citizens of Eastman and Dodge County gathered at the war memorial on the grounds of the Dodge County Courthouse for a memorial service dedicated to the memory of former comrades in arms who gave their lives in service to their country. The annual program is sponsored by American Legion Post 126 of Eastman. (Photo by Tracey Graham)

The remains of what once were Soo’s Fashions and Roy’s were torn down on Monday, May 27 on Main Street in Eastman. Graham and Studstill tore the buildings down and are in the process of hauling off the remains. The buildings were destroyed by fire on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. The fire was caused by an electrical short in the Soo’s Fashion building. Both buildings were a total loss. (Photo by Chuck Eckles)

The following arrests were reported by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office for the dates of May 14, 2013 thru May 26, 2013. [Full Story »] 

The Heart of Georgia Regional Airport Authority met on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, and elected a new chairman and secretary/treasurer.
When the Eastman/Dodge Development Authority appointed two new members to the airport authority on May 13, the current chairman Eddie Driggers and board member Jack Burnham were replaced with Butch Kirkley and Phil Bearden. [Full Story »] 

Graduation exercises for 199 students were held on Friday, May 17, 2013 for Dodge County High School at Memorial Stadium. A large crowd was in attendance for the ceremony.

Dodge County citizens expressed their disapproval to the Dodge County Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting Monday night.

Commission chairman Dan McCranie read the new public participation policy approved by the commissioners at their May 6, 2013 meeting. After reading the new policy and explaining to citizens the new process, he added that it was the same policy that was currently being implemented by the Dodge County Board of Education and the commissioners felt this would let their meetings run smoother. [Full Story »] 

The Eastman Police Department, along with the State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, arrested six people in connection with the criminal activity that occurred in the Griffin Street area in Eastman. The subjects were arrested for the arson of the Boutwell home and the Thomas Realty Company on Griffin Street. Also solved was the robbery of the 17 year old female at the Precision Car Wash along with the burglary and theft of an automobile from James F. Kimmons Certified Public Accountants(CPA) Office. [Full Story »] 

A three vehicle accident quickly cancelled an Amber Alert that had just been released for a four year old child that had been allegedly abducted from her grandmother’s home in Americus by her mother. [Full Story »] 

On Saturday, May 11, 2013 The Thomas Realty Company located at 220 Griffin Street received damage to the building when a fire was set and the building was burglarized. All the computers were reported stolen. The fire was extinguished before extensive damage occurred. This is under investigation by the state fire marshal’s office, the Eastman Fire Department and the Eastman Police Department. [Full Story »] 

Tempers flared at the Monday, May 13, 2013 meeting of the Dodge County/Eastman Development Authority after chairman Jack Burnham called the meeting to order. After the invocation, board member John Jessup made a motion that the meeting agenda be changed to include election of officers for 2013. [Full Story »] 

Law enforcement officials are looking for a suspect(s) in the murder of an Eastman man at an apartment in a house at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Page Street. A family member found the body of Gregory Scott Giddens, age 51, on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at approximately 7:47 p.m. and called 911. [Full Story »] 

Wil Hilliard has been named Dodge County’s Conservationist of the Year by the Central Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District. The award was presented at the district’s annual program for his achievements in soil and water conservation. [Full Story »]