Father and Son Arrested in Camilla Teen's Shooting Death, GBI Reports Breakthrough in October Case

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced the arrest of two individuals in connection to the shooting death of Kelvin Church, a 17-year-old from Camilla, Georgia; Terryon Maleek Martin, 19, of Pelham, faces charges including Malice Murder, while his father, Terry Phillip Martin, 39, has been charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive, this development follows a collaborative effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies, according to the GBI's official statement.

The younger Martin was apprehended at a residence on Back Nine Road in Pelham where he was discovered concealed inside a kitchen cabinet that had been intentionally sealed, both Terryon Maleek Martin and Terry Phillip Martin have subsequently been booked into the Mitchell County Jail, with this arrest marking a significant progress in a case that has been active since late October, following the initial shooting.

The case unfolds from a tragic event on October 30, when Kelvin Church was shot at the crossroads of Furlow and Jester Street in Camilla; he later succumbed to his injuries on November 5, prompting an extensive investigation by the Camilla Police Department and GBI agents, who are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding Church’s death, while the GBI Crime Lab is set to perform an autopsy to provide further insights into the exact cause of death, as detailed by GBI.

The tragedy of Kelvin Church's passing galvanized the local community, leading to an outpouring of information and cooperative engagement with law enforcement in the subsequent days, culminating in the recent arrests and the gradual assembly of a picture that hints at a web of connections and motives yet to be fully understood, the investigation remains active with authorities urging anyone with additional information to come forward and make use of the various channels available for anonymous tips—in addition to calling the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Thomasville or the Camilla Police Department, information can be submitted online or via a specialized mobile application, as per GBI's official website.

As the case continues to unravel, all findings will be forwarded to the South Georgia Circuit District Attorney’s Office, which will be responsible for prosecuting the case.