Arrest made in 2005 murder case
Posted: 08.17.2010 at 6:02 AM
Updated: 08.18.2010 at 5:30 AM

28-year-old Anthony Perez Thomas is charged with the shooting death of 20-year-old Reggie O’Neal

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An arrest is made in the March 2005 murder of 20-year-old Reggie O’Neal at the Nautica Hot Spot Game Room in Ocilla.
OCILLA, GA. --
28-year-old Anthony Perez Thomas is charged with O’Neal’s murder.  He also faces aggravated assault and illegal firearms charges.  Police said in 2005 that a handgun was used in the shooting.  Authorities served the murder warrant on Thomas at the Coffee County Jail on Monday.  He was being held on unrelated charges.

On March 13, 2005, officers responded to a call at 11 p.m. and learned that three people had been shot at the entertainment center at the north end of Ocilla’s Quick Stop building.  O’Neal, who was from Ocilla, died of multiple gunshot wounds shortly after arriving at the Irwin County Hospital.  23-year-old Anthony Thomas and 18-year-old Jarmaine Carver, both of Ocilla, were injured and had been transported to Macon Medical Center.

Authorities said Thomas barged into the game room and fired a pistol at O’Neal and another man.  GBI spokesman John Bankhead said Monday that authorities had long suspected Thomas, but the arrest came after new information developed in the case.