Murder charge filed in shooting death of Hawkinsville man

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office and the GBI have filed a murder charge in the weekend death of a Hawkinsville man.

Dolton Harper, 36, was formally charged after he had been in custody since the shooting as the prime suspect in the killing of Vernard Porter, 28, Saturday afternoon.

Porter was pronounced dead at Taylor Regional Hospital shortly after the 1:30 p.m. shooting on Second Street.

The GBI is assisting the sheriff's office in the homicide investigation.

Harper, who also was charged with aggravated assault, had been feuding with Porter in recent days, possibly about a repossessed automobile, Sherrif Danny Brannen said.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 1:05 PM with the headline "Murder charge filed in shooting death of Hawkinsville man."