Michael Lee Newby

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Another reward is in the works for information on the murder of Hoffman resident, Michael Lee Newby.

Newby, whose body was found in November by the railroad tracks off Rushing Road in Hoffman, was a well-known member of the community. Police determined that he had been shot to death.

No arrest has been made in the case.

Richmond County Sheriff James Clemmons Jr. called the case “horrendous.”

“No one has come forward at this time,” Clemmons said Friday. “We just have to do everything we can to keep this active in the public eye.”

In response to the murder, the community of Hoffman joined efforts to gain more information. Monetary rewards have been offered by Barry Bostick of Bostick BP, CrimeStoppers, and an additional anonymous donor within the past two months for information leading to the capture of Newby’s killer.

And the Sheriff’s Office is working to increase that number.

“We’re doing paperwork for an additional reward from the Governor’s Office,” said Clemmons, “and we’re waiting to hear back from that.” He said that the amount would remain undisclosed until a later date.

Until then, the Sheriff’s Office continues to ask the community for help.

“We need to find out who this is, so we’re putting all our resources out there and asking the community to join us and help us bring this person to justice,” Clemmons said.

Richmond County officials are unable to determine whether or not the killer remains in Richmond County. Meanwhile, the sheriff urges residents to remain aware of their surroundings.

“We’re showing our presence in the community,” Clemmons said. “(Residents) can work with us and help us solve this. There have been no other actions or indications that anything else is going on in this case. I would not say that people need to be scared, they just need to be aware of their surroundings and know what’s going on in their community. And if they do see anything out of the ordinary, give us a call.”

Clemmons said that if residents are feeling uneasy with the amount of patrol in their areas, they should not hesitate to call the Sheriff’s Office to investigate any suspicious activity.

“These are the things we need to do to make our community safe,” Clemmons said. “The bottom line is this: Let’s know where we are, what we’re doing and our surroundings. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable, give us a call. Don’t wait and assume it will be OK. Let us come forward and check things out.”

— Staff Writer Mallory Brown can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 16, or by email at mallorybrown@heartlandpublications.com.