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'Dangerous' murder suspect accused of killing Covington father of four arrested

Authorities arrested Keyondre Preston April 21 at a Cordele, Georgia motel after a search that lasted weeks.

COVINGTON, Ga. — Police say they've arrested a "dangerous" 18-year-old suspected in a Covington murder of a father of four

Authorities arrested Keyondre Preston April 21 at a Cordele, Georgia motel after a search that lasted weeks.

Preston has been wanted on charges of aggravated assault, armed robbery and murder in connection to an April 3 incident that happened off Washington Street in Covington. 

Credit: Covington Police Department
Keyondre Preston

Police believe Preston and two others shot and killed Chelvis Hillman after he reportedly intervened in an incident where the three men allegedly shot at a dog at his father's home on Fowler Street.

PREVIOUS: He was shot after an argument over a dog. Police are still searching for an alleged killer.

Investigators said the dispute apparently followed Hillman when he left for another home on Washington Street. 

"Three individuals entered the residence, robbed him and one of the individuals shot the victim," explained Covington Police Capt. Ken Malcom.

Hillman, a father of four and a grandfather of two, later died from the injury - a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Credit: Special to 11Alive
Shelvis Hillman

One witness who was in the home said he heard the gunshot and went to investigate. But he was reportedly met by the armed men in the kitchen, who told him to empty his pockets and put everything on the table. 

Police managed to take two of the suspects into custody, but Preston had been on the run since.

Covington Police detectives were able to trace him to Cordele - two hours south of Covington off I-75 - thanks to tips, where surrounding agencies helped arrest him. 

Police say Preston was armed when they found him, but was arrested without incident. They say he was also traveling with an unnamed female juvenile.

Following Preston's arrest, police said they were pleased at the outcome and hoped it provided some relief to Hillman's family.

“We are pleased to get this dangerous individual off of the street and hopefully provide our victims family with some degree of closure,” Malcom said. 

There was no word on when Preston would arrive to Covington to answer for the alleged crimes, or whether a judge would grant him bond.

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