Fitzgerald man charged in 1998 Broxton killing of Christy Myers

Credit: Danny / Any County News · Source: GBI; Douglas Now; WALB

Law enforcement confirms James Lawrence III, 47, of Fitzgerald was arrested Thursday, Oct. 1, and charged with malice murder, murder and aggravated assault in connection with the 1998 death of Christy Myers.

GBI officials say Myers, then 20, left her Broxton home late Sept. 14, 1998, to go to a store. Witnesses saw her leave alone. Shortly after midnight, she was found dead outside her car on Broxton-Fitzgerald Highway with stab wounds.

Douglas Now reported Lawrence was booked into the Coffee County Jail just after 11 a.m. Thursday. The GBI scheduled a news conference for Friday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. in Douglas.

Charged, not convicted: An arrest is not a conviction. Lawrence is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Sources: Douglas Now · WALB (Oct. 1, 2026) · GBI case page: Christy Myers

Images: Coffee County Sheriff's Office booking photo (via Douglas Now). No AI-generated images.

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Any County News is independent local media and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any law enforcement or government agency. An arrest is not a conviction.