Jury selected for 2021 Harris County land dispute murder suspect
HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. (WTVM) - A jury has been selected in Harris County Superior Court Tuesday morning, June 20, for a man accused of shooting and killing his neighbor over a land dispute.
On November 2, 2021, 29-year-old Dylan Eldridge was shot to death near his house in Harris County. The deadly shooting stemmed from an argument over property lines between neighbors.
In previous coverage, Tessley Wells, Eldridge’s girlfriend, said Johnnie Bryant used to own the land that their house sits on and land surrounding it. She said Eldridge had just bought half of an acre of property, and people were on the land working Monday when Bryant approached them.
Eldridge was transferred to Piedmont Columbus Regional, where he later died during surgery.
According to court documents, Bryant is charged with the following:
- 1 count of malice murder
- 1 count of felony murder
- 3 counts of aggravated assault
- 3 counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony
Bryant’s bond was set at $155,000. Stipulations include house arrest, a no-firearm order and no contact with the family of Eldridge.
Bryant has been out on bond since March 2022 after pleading not guilty last year.
According to Superior Court Judge Gil McBride, the court screened over 80 potential jurors, in an effort to seat 12 jurors and alternates before starting opening statements. Currently, there are no deals on the table, according to Bryant’s attorney Jackie Patterson.
The selected jury is scheduled to report back on June 21 at 8:45 a.m., and opening statements will begin at nine a.m.
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