Law enforcement officers say a man who was found shot last month in a Long County wildlife management area paid a convicted felon $200 to kill him.
John Leo Orr of South Lyon, Mich., had been living in Hinesville and working as a contract employee on Fort Stewart. Long County Sheriff's Office Investigator Tom Sollosi said Orr reportedly met with Nathaniel Nix, of Baxley, last month and made arrangements for the former state inmate to shoot and kill him.
The investigator said Orr was in the middle of a divorce from his wife, who lives in South Lyon. According to information obtained by the sheriff's office, Orr said he was depressed and wanted to commit suicide, but was not sure whether his life insurance policy contained a suicide clause that would prevent his son from receiving benefits. So he began looking for someone to kill him.
Sollosi said Orr was an acquaintance of Wayne County resident Lisa Marie Brier, 40, and, according to Orr, she told him that she knew a man, who might be willing to murder him for money. Allegedly, at this point the woman set up a meeting with Orr and Nix, and after the meeting, Nix agreed to shoot Orr for a payment of $200, and the killing was scheduled.
Sollosi said that Aug. 13 Orr drove to Jesup and picked up Nix and Brier, and the three drove into the woods at the Griffin Ridge Wildlife Management Area, which is in Long County.
At about 9 p.m., after receiving his payment, Nix allegedly shot Orr three times in the chest with a .25 caliber handgun. Nix and Brier then drove Orr's vehicle out of the woods, leaving the man to die.
"At this point, Orr was lying there dying, and he changed his mind. He didn't want to die anymore, so he used his cell phone and called 911 for help," Sollosi said.
"When the sheriff's department and the ambulance arrives, he fabricates this story, that he was ambushed, and shot by a black guy and a white woman," the investigator said.
On Aug. 17, Nix was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit murder. Hee told investigators that Orr had set up the shooting and paid him to be the trigger-man. Sollosi said that during this time, Orr was in a hospital trauma unit, unavailable for questioning. However Brier confirmed Nix's story.
After being released from the hospital Orr was interviewed. Sollosi said the Michigan man came clean and admitted to arranging the shooting.
On Sept. 14, Orr was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy, making a false report of a crime, and providing false information during the investigation of a crime. After posting bond, Orr was released and is now awaiting a hearing date.
On Sept. 18, Brier was arrested and charged with criminal solicitation. She is currently in the Ludowici jail, awaiting a hearing.
Nix has been charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy to commit murder. He is in the Appling County jail. Nix was reportedly on Probation and a probation warrant was issued for his arrest. Sollosi said he has provided the Appling County probation office with copies of these new charges, and will ask a judge to deny any bond.
Sollosi said that the LCSD received assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, during this investigation, with Special Agents Lindsay Smith and Brad Chapman conducting the majority of the interviews. Sollosi also said that Special Agent Mick Washington assisted in the processing of the crime scene, and the collecting of evidence.
"The LCSD, like many small local agencies, often do not have the resources to conduct an investigation of this magnitude alone, and we are extremely grateful to these special agents for the time and dedication."
John Leo Orr of South Lyon, Mich., had been living in Hinesville and working as a contract employee on Fort Stewart. Long County Sheriff's Office Investigator Tom Sollosi said Orr reportedly met with Nathaniel Nix, of Baxley, last month and made arrangements for the former state inmate to shoot and kill him.
The investigator said Orr was in the middle of a divorce from his wife, who lives in South Lyon. According to information obtained by the sheriff's office, Orr said he was depressed and wanted to commit suicide, but was not sure whether his life insurance policy contained a suicide clause that would prevent his son from receiving benefits. So he began looking for someone to kill him.
Sollosi said Orr was an acquaintance of Wayne County resident Lisa Marie Brier, 40, and, according to Orr, she told him that she knew a man, who might be willing to murder him for money. Allegedly, at this point the woman set up a meeting with Orr and Nix, and after the meeting, Nix agreed to shoot Orr for a payment of $200, and the killing was scheduled.
Sollosi said that Aug. 13 Orr drove to Jesup and picked up Nix and Brier, and the three drove into the woods at the Griffin Ridge Wildlife Management Area, which is in Long County.
At about 9 p.m., after receiving his payment, Nix allegedly shot Orr three times in the chest with a .25 caliber handgun. Nix and Brier then drove Orr's vehicle out of the woods, leaving the man to die.
"At this point, Orr was lying there dying, and he changed his mind. He didn't want to die anymore, so he used his cell phone and called 911 for help," Sollosi said.
"When the sheriff's department and the ambulance arrives, he fabricates this story, that he was ambushed, and shot by a black guy and a white woman," the investigator said.
On Aug. 17, Nix was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit murder. Hee told investigators that Orr had set up the shooting and paid him to be the trigger-man. Sollosi said that during this time, Orr was in a hospital trauma unit, unavailable for questioning. However Brier confirmed Nix's story.
After being released from the hospital Orr was interviewed. Sollosi said the Michigan man came clean and admitted to arranging the shooting.
On Sept. 14, Orr was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy, making a false report of a crime, and providing false information during the investigation of a crime. After posting bond, Orr was released and is now awaiting a hearing date.
On Sept. 18, Brier was arrested and charged with criminal solicitation. She is currently in the Ludowici jail, awaiting a hearing.
Nix has been charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy to commit murder. He is in the Appling County jail. Nix was reportedly on Probation and a probation warrant was issued for his arrest. Sollosi said he has provided the Appling County probation office with copies of these new charges, and will ask a judge to deny any bond.
Sollosi said that the LCSD received assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, during this investigation, with Special Agents Lindsay Smith and Brad Chapman conducting the majority of the interviews. Sollosi also said that Special Agent Mick Washington assisted in the processing of the crime scene, and the collecting of evidence.
"The LCSD, like many small local agencies, often do not have the resources to conduct an investigation of this magnitude alone, and we are extremely grateful to these special agents for the time and dedication."