THOMAS COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - We have new information about Robert Lee Carter II, the man who is the person of interest in a Thomasville death investigation.
Authorities say Carter had previously done handyman work for 70-year-old Deanna Shirey and two other recent victims, but records we obtained from the city of Thomasville show he was working with an expired handyman license.
According to these city documents WTXL obtained, Carter's handyman license expired in November 2017.
Carter is currently facing 22 charges in connection to two other crimes in Thomasville and Ochlockonee, where he held a family hostage before leading authorities on a weekend long manhunt.
Thomas County deputies tell me Carter had previously done handyman work for Deanna Shirey before she was found dead on Carter's property last week.
In fact, deputies say Carter had a long term relationship with Shirey as her handyman. She'd paid him for various repairs over the course of several years without issue.
Carter had also done handyman work for the other recent victims.
"I know the third victim had recent contact with him requesting that he finish some work he was supposed to have had done for them," said Lt. Tim Watkins with the Thomas County Sheriff's Office. "For the other two victims, we have no idea when he did the last work for them."
Some of the charges Carter is currently facing include aggravated sexual battery, kidnapping, stalking and armed robbery.
WTXL also confirmed that before he was recently arrested, Carter was out on bond for a 2017 charge of aggravated sexual battery in Thomas County.
This is unrelated to an original charge that put him on the registered sex offender list. The 47-year-old was convicted of aggravated child molestation in Georgia in 2001.
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - WTXL has confirmed that the man believed by police to be connected to the death of Deanna Shirey was working with an expired handyman license.
According to the City of Thomasville, the license belonging to Robert Carter II expired back in 2017.
Seventy-year-old Deanna Shirey's body was found in Carter's yard last week.
Shirey's family confirmed to WTXL that Carter did handyman work for her. In fact, documents obtained by WTXL show that someone identified as "Mrs. Shirey" even served as a reference for Carter in his most recent license application.
Carter is currently facing 22 charges in connection to two crimes, one on Sherwood Drive in Thomasville, and the other in Ochlocknee. Some of the charges include aggravated sexual battery, kidnapping, stalking and armed robbery.
Police connected him to Shirey's death because he performed construction work on her home as well as the one on Sherwood Drive.
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is releasing additional details about the investigation into 70-year-old Deanna Shirey's death.
The GBI says they were the agency that found her body in the rear yard of Robert Lee Carter's home. The agency was also able to recover a missing comforter.
They say an autopsy is being performed on Shirey's body now to determine a cause of death. They expect they will have the results this week.
Carter is facing 22 charges for crimes that occurred July 5 on Sherwood Drive in Thomasville, and July 6 in Ochlocknee.
He has not been charged in Shirey's disappearance, though he has been identified as a prime suspect in the case.
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - A celebration of life for the Thomasville woman whose body was found last week will occur Thursday.
The family of Deanna Shirey says the celebration will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Thomasville.
The Gloucester, Massachusetts, native moved to Thomasville from south Florida in 2005.
Her family says her ashes and those of her husband, who died about 11 years ago, will be strewn at sea from Gloucester.
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - The body of a 70-year-old Thomasville woman who has been missing for at least ten days has been found.
Deanna Shirey's children and their families have waited twelve long days for news on her whereabouts, but they were hoping for better news.
"Several law enforcement agency members came to the hotel this morning, at 4 a.m. this morning to notify us as a family," said Son-in-law Nick Abiusi. "We all found out together. They brought us the news, their condolences. They hugged and prayed with us."
Law enforcement officers were following up on hundreds of leads, including one that came in Thursday night that lead led them to the residence of Robert Carter II, a suspect in the investigation.
"Carter had committed other crimes that were closely related to the Shirey incident. Last weekend we arrested Carter outside of the Ocklocknee, Georgia area," said Major Wade Glover of the Thomasville Police Department. "He was charged with numerous crimes, but not related to the Shirey incident."
Those who live near Carter's residence say the neighborhood is usually a quiet and safe one, though now they are a little more attentive to their surroundings and their children.
"This is an eye-opener for us to be more cautious, and so forth. Let the kids know to stick together in the neighborhood," said Monleth Perkins, who lives in the neighborhood. "If they're going anywhere, walking anywhere, to go together in a group."
Shirey's children are thankful for the tireless work that all the law enforcement officers have put into finding their mother.
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Authorities say they have found the body of the 70-year-old missing woman out of Thomasville.
Her body was found early Friday morning, between the hours of 12 a.m. and 1 a.m., within the city limits of Thomasville at 428 Colton Avenue. The residence is in close proximity to the residence of the suspect, Robert Carter.
The body has been sent to a crime lab to determine the cause of death.
Her family thanked those working to solve the case.
"We can not thank the tireless work of the GBI, Thomasville PD, Tallahassee PD and all the many other agencies who have enabled us to reach this point," they said in a Facebook post.
"Thank you to this outstanding community who have been crying and praying with us. We couldn’t get through this without your support.
"While we have only begun to process this information, one thing we are sure of is that we want to celebrate mom’s life here with you along with a celebration with our family in Gloucester. Once we have the details, we will share them with you."
THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - There are more details on the continued search for the 70-year-old missing woman out of Thomasville.
Officers have now conducted several ground and helicopter searches.
Thomas County Sheriff's Office Captain, Steve Jones, says their goal is to pinpoint areas of focus.
Georgia Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Jamy Steinberg, the lead investigator in this case, says they are using every tool, idea, and tip they receive to try and find Deanna Shirey.
"Following up on some things that we had seen yesterday while flying yesterday. Just trying to make sure that we hadn't left anything unturned," said Jones. "And I know the city investigators and GBI, and some of our investigators have been working to put the pieces of the puzzle together."
Shirey went missing ten days ago on July 2 from her Thomasville home on Glenwood Drive.
Officers arrested a man they suspect is involved in her disappearance, Robert Carter II, on July 8 on separate charges.
He was taken to the Thomas County Jail.
