David O. Mangham died a gruesome
death in his north Fayette home last April at the hand of a former high
school chum, according to a wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by his
parents.
The suit, which is not a criminal
complaint, claims William Edward Robbins of Jonesboro shot Mangham in
the back of the head after Mangham confronted Robbins for stealing roughly
$3,000 from a specially-built cabinet Mangham had placed under his kitchen
sink.
After he was shot, Mangham
fell to the floor and Robbins fired a second shot into his head, the suit
claims. The shooting took place in a bedroom where Mangham had gone to
retrieve a handgun he kept for personal protection, the suit stated.
Michael Fowler, a friend of
Mangham's who was working in a detached garage, soon appeared in
the kitchen of the residence where Robbins shot him twice in the back
of the head, killing him also, the suit claims.
The two were found dead in
Mangham's home in the Princeton Chase subdivision off Ga. Highway
314 May 5.
The complaint, filed in Clayton
County Superior Court by Orris and Carrie Mangham, provides a number of
details unearthed by Fayette County sheriff's detectives during their
investigation. No criminal charges have been filed to date.
The family is seeking over
$1 million in the suit, not including additional compensation for punitive
damages and pain and suffering.
The lawsuit allegations only
represent one side of an issue and Robbins has yet to file an answer to
the suit.
No suspects have been charged
in the shooting deaths of Mangham and Fowler. Detectives did make Robbins'
name public in July in an appeal for anyone with information on a Colt
.45 handgun formerly owned by Robbins, who went to Forest Park High School
with Mangham and Fowler.
Prior to that, detectives excavated
one of Robbins' former residences in an attempt to find a bullet
casing that might have been fired from that gun which could possibly tie
him to the murder scene.
Robbins and Mangham were friends
until about 10 years ago when they had a falling out, police said. According
to the lawsuit, Mangham had loaned Robbins $1,000 before the shooting
took place, allegedly on April 23 after Mangham returned home from the
Dunkin' Donuts in Fayetteville.
Mangham, the owner and operator
of Georgia Topsoil Company, was 48 at the time of his death and was in
"excellent health" according to the suit.
Orris Mangham has also offered
a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction
of the person or persons responsible for his son's death.
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