Father accused of murdering son in south Columbus shooting appears in court
“I did shoot my wife on purpose. I did not mean to shoot my son.”
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - New, disturbing details came out in court about the Columbus man accused in the deadly shooting of his four-year-old son.
Along with being accused of the murder, police also believe Jacquese Walker, Sr. shot and injured the child’s mother, Marshama Bolden, at Liberty Commons Apartments in Columbus.
Right before the court hearing started, Bolden, the mother shot multiple times, was released from the intensive care unit at Piedmont Hospital. The suspect, 35-year-old Walker Sr., did not show his face in recorder’s court. He waved his right to appear. His public defender was there to represent him in court.
“We got a call that there was an accident that a woman had been possibly hit by a car. They got a call that a female had been shot, and they got a call that a child was deceased,” said Sgt. McKelvey.
The child shot was four years old. Police say Jacquese Walker, Jr. was playing games on a phone in his parents’ bedroom when an exchange of words turned intense between his mom and dad.
“He was so angry when she was starting to leave the apartment he just started firing. He said, ‘I fired low because I wasn’t trying to kill her. I was aiming for her stomach or legs,’” said McKelvey.
They found several shell casings and a man’s wedding ring inside the apartment. Columbus police say they believe the two were arguing about Bolden planning to leave Walker, Sr. Investigators found a trial of the mother’s blood from the apartment all the way to the complex’s front office. The child’s body was found inside the home. At some point before leaving the apartment, officials say witnesses saw Walker, Sr. standing over Bolden.
“[He was] yelling, you did this, this is your fault. I thought you loved me. She said, " I love you, and that’s when he leaves the scene.”
McKelvey testified that Walker admitted when he drove away, crashing into two different cars, were his attempts to take his own life after knowing he killed his son.
“I did shoot my wife on purpose. I did not mean to shoot my son.”
Prosecutors say his claims of unintentionally killing his son are legally irrelevant based on wanting to shoot the mother.
“It resulted from his purposeful action of the aggravated assault, which resulted in the child’s death, regardless if that’s his intention. It’s still felony murder,” said DA Stacey Jackson.
After court, the defense attorney had no comment, but Jackson was asked if Walker, Sr. would face the death penalty, and he says it’s too early to have that discussion. Bolden and her other two children still have to be interviewed, along with waiting on the autopsy reports and other witness interviews.
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