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GBI quiet on mans death
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A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent said Friday that progress is being made in the investigation into the death of Pembroke resident James Young, but released no details.

Young, 66, was found dead in his home at 166 Rogers Road on Monday by Pembroke Police after a request for a welfare check was made. Authorities suspect Young was killed, but have said nothing at this point about why.

GBI Assistant Special Agent in charge Chuck Sullenger said that’s because the agency doesn’t want to jeopardize the investigation.

"We don’t want to improperly accuse or lay an air of suspicion on anyone, and we have to be careful not to leak suspects," he said. "We need to hold back specifics so that if someone does confess, it’s information that only the killer would know. It has to be like that for a confession to hold up. If specific facts only the killer might know are released in the news, the confession could be thrown out in court because access to the specific information would then be public knowledge," he said.

Rick Patel, owner of Leggett’s Stop and Go on Hwy. 67 in Pembroke, who has been robbed twice in the last year and a half, said he thinks he knows who killed Young - the same people responsible for robbing his store.

But Pembroke Police Chief Bill Collins does not agree with Patel.

"Given what I know of the investigation, it just doesn’t seem likely, but I’m not able to discuss it in detail," he said.

Council member Angela Reed said there are no words to describe the homicide’s effects on the community.

"It is just awful that something so terrible would go down in our little city. I was blown away when I heard about it," she said.

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