A 20-year-old man wanted in a DeKalb County double homicide was taken into custody Saturday in Moultrie, Colquitt County, according to law enforcement. Alexander Galvez Hernandez, who is accused in the deaths of two men, was booked into the Colquitt County Jail and is awaiting transfer back to DeKalb County.
As reported by Atlanta News First, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said deputies, working with the U.S. Marshals Service, tracked Hernandez to a home on Hutchinson Drive in Moultrie and arrested him without incident. According to the sheriff’s office, Hernandez is charged with one count of felony murder in the death of Alfredo Vargas and one count of malice murder in the death of Adrian Martinez-Ramirez. Officials said he is being held at the Colquitt County Jail and will be transferred to the DeKalb County Jail for formal processing.
Charges and custody
DeKalb investigators have accused Hernandez in two separate killings, although prosecutors have not yet released charging documents or a public probable-cause affidavit. The sheriff’s office has not provided a timeline for his transfer to DeKalb County for arraignment or indicated whether bond will be set.
Legal implications
Under Georgia law, malice murder requires proof that a defendant acted with malice aforethought, while felony murder applies when a death occurs during the commission of a felony; both are defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-1. Justia notes that a murder conviction under this statute can carry life imprisonment or, in limited circumstances, the death penalty. At this stage, the charges remain allegations, and Hernandez is presumed innocent.
What happens next
Hernandez is expected to be moved to DeKalb County for formal booking and to face charges from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office lists the county jail facility on its contact pages for questions about custody and transfers, and officials say they will release additional details when they are ready to do so.
