Berrien jury convicts man of murder

Sep. 24—NASHVILLE — A convicted murderer faces life in prison for killing a woman, authorities said.

A Berrien County jury took less than 40 minutes Wednesday to convict Roger Lee Tabor Jr. on multiple counts of murder in the 2018 death of his estranged girlfriend, Patricia Michelle DeBoyd, according to a statement from the Alapaha Judicial Circuit district attorney's office.

The jury convicted Tabor of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of cruelty to children; Judge Howard McClain sentenced him to life plus 10 years in prison, the DA's statement said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in an earlier statement that the Berrien County Sheriff's Office received a call about a shooting at about 3:10 p.m., Aug. 1, 2018, in the 1300 block of Highway 158 in Alapaha.

The GBI said deputies found Deboyd's body and located Tabor near the residence.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.