Miss Courtney Ann Wilkes, age 15 of Toombs County, died Thursday, June 16, 2011. She was a lifelong resident of Toombs County, was a student at Toombs County High School, and academically was the top of her class. She was a star soccer player, and an officer in the FFA. Most important in her life though, was her dedicated professed Christian faith. She was an active member of the Bible Baptist Church of Vidalia.
Courtney was the oldest daughter of Cordy and Toni Wilkes, other family include one sister, Callie Alysha Wilkes; one brother, William Cole Wilkes all of Toombs County; maternal grandparents, Raymond and Naomi Burrell of Vidalia; paternal grandparents, Thomas C. and Carolyn Wilkes of Toombs County; one aunt, Tina Chambers and husband Shannon of Uvalda; and one uncle, Wes Burrell of Nashville, Tennessee.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 22nd at 11:00 am in the First Baptist Church of Vidalia with Reverend Raymond Burrell and Reverend Andy Williams officiating. Interment will follow in the Wilkes Family Cemetery.
The family is establishing a cemetery on their farm where she'll be buried because she loved her animals.
The family will receive friends at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday from 3:00 until 9:00.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Toombs County FFA, 600 Bulldog Road, Lyons, GA 30436.
SEASIDE — Walton County sheriff's deputies were investigating a murder late Thursday in connection to a teenage girl who was reported missing earlier that afternoon, according to the Sheriff's Office and Walton County Fire Rescue.
A 15-year-old girl was reported missing about 4 p.m. Thursday from a condominium on County Road 30A in Seagrove Beach, according to 911 dispatch records. She was last seen about three hours earlier with a 21-year-old man who was a friend of her brother, according to dispatch records.
The murder investigation was under way near Cypress Grove Lane near Seaside, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Morrison.
Deputies were interviewing "persons of interest" Thursday night, Morrison said.
"We will continue to conduct a thorough and methodical criminal investigation to determine what happened and how," he said.
No additional details were available at 9 p.m.
Tom McLaughlin and Angel McCurdy, Florida Freedom Newspapers
4 p.m. Update:
The Walton County Sheriff's Office has identified the 15-year-old girl who was killed yesterday in Seagrove Beach as Courtney Wilkes.
She was from Lyons, Ga. and was staying at Beachcrest Condominium complex on County Road 30A with her family.
"We have the person we believe is responsible for this crime," said Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson during a 3 p.m. press conference. "The threat to the community has been removed."
He described the slaying of Wilkes as an "extremely violent encounter."
Adkinson said when Steven Anthony Cozzie, 21, of Santa Rosa Beach, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder he showed no remorse.
"This is nothing more than pure evil," Adkinson said.
Courtney was the oldest daughter of Cordy and Toni Wilkes, other family include one sister, Callie Alysha Wilkes; one brother, William Cole Wilkes all of Toombs County; maternal grandparents, Raymond and Naomi Burrell of Vidalia; paternal grandparents, Thomas C. and Carolyn Wilkes of Toombs County; one aunt, Tina Chambers and husband Shannon of Uvalda; and one uncle, Wes Burrell of Nashville, Tennessee.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 22nd at 11:00 am in the First Baptist Church of Vidalia with Reverend Raymond Burrell and Reverend Andy Williams officiating. Interment will follow in the Wilkes Family Cemetery.
The family is establishing a cemetery on their farm where she'll be buried because she loved her animals.
The family will receive friends at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday from 3:00 until 9:00.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Toombs County FFA, 600 Bulldog Road, Lyons, GA 30436.
SEASIDE — Walton County sheriff's deputies were investigating a murder late Thursday in connection to a teenage girl who was reported missing earlier that afternoon, according to the Sheriff's Office and Walton County Fire Rescue.
A 15-year-old girl was reported missing about 4 p.m. Thursday from a condominium on County Road 30A in Seagrove Beach, according to 911 dispatch records. She was last seen about three hours earlier with a 21-year-old man who was a friend of her brother, according to dispatch records.
The murder investigation was under way near Cypress Grove Lane near Seaside, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Morrison.
Deputies were interviewing "persons of interest" Thursday night, Morrison said.
"We will continue to conduct a thorough and methodical criminal investigation to determine what happened and how," he said.
No additional details were available at 9 p.m.
Tom McLaughlin and Angel McCurdy, Florida Freedom Newspapers
4 p.m. Update:
The Walton County Sheriff's Office has identified the 15-year-old girl who was killed yesterday in Seagrove Beach as Courtney Wilkes.
She was from Lyons, Ga. and was staying at Beachcrest Condominium complex on County Road 30A with her family.
"We have the person we believe is responsible for this crime," said Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson during a 3 p.m. press conference. "The threat to the community has been removed."
He described the slaying of Wilkes as an "extremely violent encounter."
Adkinson said when Steven Anthony Cozzie, 21, of Santa Rosa Beach, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder he showed no remorse.
"This is nothing more than pure evil," Adkinson said.
Miss Courtney Ann Wilkes, age 15 of Toombs County, died Thursday, June 16, 2011. She was a lifelong resident of Toombs County, was a student at Toombs County High School, and academically was the top of her class. She was a star soccer player, and an officer in the FFA. Most important in her life though, was her dedicated professed Christian faith. She was an active member of the Bible Baptist Church of Vidalia.
Courtney was the oldest daughter of Cordy and Toni Wilkes, other family include one sister, Callie Alysha Wilkes; one brother, William Cole Wilkes all of Toombs County; maternal grandparents, Raymond and Naomi Burrell of Vidalia; paternal grandparents, Thomas C. and Carolyn Wilkes of Toombs County; one aunt, Tina Chambers and husband Shannon of Uvalda; and one uncle, Wes Burrell of Nashville, Tennessee.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 22nd at 11:00 am in the First Baptist Church of Vidalia with Reverend Raymond Burrell and Reverend Andy Williams officiating. Interment will follow in the Wilkes Family Cemetery.
The family is establishing a cemetery on their farm where she'll be buried because she loved her animals.
The family will receive friends at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday from 3:00 until 9:00.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Toombs County FFA, 600 Bulldog Road, Lyons, GA 30436.
SEASIDE — Walton County sheriff's deputies were investigating a murder late Thursday in connection to a teenage girl who was reported missing earlier that afternoon, according to the Sheriff's Office and Walton County Fire Rescue.
A 15-year-old girl was reported missing about 4 p.m. Thursday from a condominium on County Road 30A in Seagrove Beach, according to 911 dispatch records. She was last seen about three hours earlier with a 21-year-old man who was a friend of her brother, according to dispatch records.
The murder investigation was under way near Cypress Grove Lane near Seaside, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Morrison.
Deputies were interviewing "persons of interest" Thursday night, Morrison said.
"We will continue to conduct a thorough and methodical criminal investigation to determine what happened and how," he said.
No additional details were available at 9 p.m.
Tom McLaughlin and Angel McCurdy, Florida Freedom Newspapers
4 p.m. Update:
The Walton County Sheriff's Office has identified the 15-year-old girl who was killed yesterday in Seagrove Beach as Courtney Wilkes.
She was from Lyons, Ga. and was staying at Beachcrest Condominium complex on County Road 30A with her family.
"We have the person we believe is responsible for this crime," said Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson during a 3 p.m. press conference. "The threat to the community has been removed."
He described the slaying of Wilkes as an "extremely violent encounter."
Adkinson said when Steven Anthony Cozzie, 21, of Santa Rosa Beach, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder he showed no remorse.
"This is nothing more than pure evil," Adkinson said.
Courtney was the oldest daughter of Cordy and Toni Wilkes, other family include one sister, Callie Alysha Wilkes; one brother, William Cole Wilkes all of Toombs County; maternal grandparents, Raymond and Naomi Burrell of Vidalia; paternal grandparents, Thomas C. and Carolyn Wilkes of Toombs County; one aunt, Tina Chambers and husband Shannon of Uvalda; and one uncle, Wes Burrell of Nashville, Tennessee.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 22nd at 11:00 am in the First Baptist Church of Vidalia with Reverend Raymond Burrell and Reverend Andy Williams officiating. Interment will follow in the Wilkes Family Cemetery.
The family is establishing a cemetery on their farm where she'll be buried because she loved her animals.
The family will receive friends at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday from 3:00 until 9:00.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Toombs County FFA, 600 Bulldog Road, Lyons, GA 30436.
SEASIDE — Walton County sheriff's deputies were investigating a murder late Thursday in connection to a teenage girl who was reported missing earlier that afternoon, according to the Sheriff's Office and Walton County Fire Rescue.
A 15-year-old girl was reported missing about 4 p.m. Thursday from a condominium on County Road 30A in Seagrove Beach, according to 911 dispatch records. She was last seen about three hours earlier with a 21-year-old man who was a friend of her brother, according to dispatch records.
The murder investigation was under way near Cypress Grove Lane near Seaside, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Morrison.
Deputies were interviewing "persons of interest" Thursday night, Morrison said.
"We will continue to conduct a thorough and methodical criminal investigation to determine what happened and how," he said.
No additional details were available at 9 p.m.
Tom McLaughlin and Angel McCurdy, Florida Freedom Newspapers
4 p.m. Update:
The Walton County Sheriff's Office has identified the 15-year-old girl who was killed yesterday in Seagrove Beach as Courtney Wilkes.
She was from Lyons, Ga. and was staying at Beachcrest Condominium complex on County Road 30A with her family.
"We have the person we believe is responsible for this crime," said Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson during a 3 p.m. press conference. "The threat to the community has been removed."
He described the slaying of Wilkes as an "extremely violent encounter."
Adkinson said when Steven Anthony Cozzie, 21, of Santa Rosa Beach, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder he showed no remorse.
"This is nothing more than pure evil," Adkinson said.
