Crawford County woman charged with murder in shooting death of her father, 76

A Crawford County woman was jailed Thursday on a murder charge in the shooting death of her 76-year-old father, authorities said.

Johnny Leland Johnson, 76, was found dead inside his daughter’s house at 281 Bobbie Circle on Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff Lewis Walker said in a statement sent to local news outlets Thursday.

Johnson’s body was discovered lying on a floor after sheriff’s deputies went to the house to check on him.

Investigators have since arrested Johnson’s daughter, Tara J. Upchurch, 48, on a murder charge.

Circumstances surrounding Johnson’s death — if known — were not divulged.

The house where Johnson’s body was found sits about five miles west of Interstate 75 just north of Lower Hartley Bridge Road.

Joe Kovac Jr.

The Telegraph

Joe Kovac Jr. writes about local news and features for The Telegraph, with an eye for human-interest stories. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. He joined the Telegraph in 1991 after graduating from the University of Georgia. As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards.