Hall County Sheriff’s investigators are looking into the death of a Gainesville man who died last week after getting into a fight with two friends at his home. Now, those friends are charged in connection with the case.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office says 24-year old John Aaron McMurray died Oct. 28 at his residence in the 1500 block of Old Athens Highway.
According to initial details, McMurray and his friends, Zachery Duane Russell, 28, of Flowery Branch, and John Marlin King Jr., 30, of Winder, got into a physical fight. During the altercation, McMurray became unresponsive. Gainesville police and EMTs were dispatched to the scene but were unable to revive him. Since the incident happened in an unincorporated area, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation.
Investigators arrested both King and Russell on the morning of the incident for offenses related to the fight. King is charged with battery and aggravated assault. Russell faces charges of battery and party to the crime of aggravated assault. Both men remained in the Hall County Jail on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Investigators sent the body to the GBI Crime Lab for autopsy/toxicology tests. The results are pending. McMurray’s death remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, and the cause is unknown at this time.
The release of information in the case was delayed due to the complexity of the investigation and subsequent interviews.
