 | For Immediate Release: 07/10/2009
Prepared by: Gene Harley
Metro Police Goes DEEP to Solve Cases
SAVANNAH, GA (July 8, 2009): Two men are found guilty of murder with the help of the Metro Police Underwater Search and Recovery Team.
It may come to a surprise to some to learn Metro Police has an Underwater Search and Recovery Team (Dive Team). Often the Dive Team is called out to assist with cases where suspects dispose evidence by throwing weapons or other evidentiary items into lakes, ponds, rivers and the ocean. This is a difficult task local waters are gritty making it black water diving. Because of this, divers often dive blind and cannot see anything in front or around them. Working as a team the diver is assisted by his partner on land who guides the diver with a rope.
As one of the leading Underwater Search and Recovery Teams in the area the team is often requested by other police departments. In 2007 the Metro Police Dive Team was requested to assist the United States Customs in locating over 100’s of pounds of marijuana stored in containers in the ocean. Divers were successful in locating and seizing the marijuana.
In 2008 the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) requested the Metro Police Dive Team’s assistance in searching the Ogeechee River and several ponds located in Screven and Tattnall counties after they believed several guns used in recent crimes had been disposed of in the various water locations. In all, a total of 5 guns were recovered by the Dive Team during the operation to include two guns that were used in recent homicides. Not stopping there, Dive Team members testified in the two murder trials. In both cases the defendants were found guilty and received life plus sentences.
The following was submitted by the District Attorney for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit:
The District Attorney for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, Richard A. Mallard, commends the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department Underwater Search and Recovery Team (Dive Team) for their invaluable assistance to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in securing convictions and life sentences in two murder trials recently held in Screven County, Georgia. The Dive Team assisted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in recovering the murder weapon in each case. In State of Georgia v. Marial Fulcher, the team recovered from a pond a Ruger .38 caliber revolver used by Marial Fulcher to kill Troy Clark, a romantic rival. In State of Georgia v. Ricardo Daughtry, the team recovered from the Ogeechee River a Lorcin .380 semi-automatic used by Ricardo Daughtry to kill William Watson by shooting Watson five times. “Their assistance in these cases was invaluable in securing these convictions and holding these killers responsible for their conduct”, said Mallard.
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