Man convicted of first-degree murder in 2017 shooting of Clinton police officer
A man has been found guilty for first-degree murder in the 2017 fatal shooting of Clinton police officer Gary Lee Michael Jr, officials announced Monday.
After a nearly month-long trial, a jury decided that 45-year-old Ian McCarthy was guilty of murder and said the death penalty could be an appropriate sentence.
In August 2017, Michael stopped a vehicle driven by McCarthy on Green Street near the Henry County Library for a registration violation, according to the Henry County prosecuting attorney. McCarthy left the vehicle and shot Michael with a high-powered rifle.
Michael fired back before McCarthy fled in his vehicle. He struck an embankment, abandoned his crashed vehicle and left on foot.
For several days, law enforcement agencies across the area searched for McCarthy and later found him about 15 miles outside of Clinton in rural Henry County.
More than 1,000 people attended Michael’s funeral, which honored the first officer in Clinton to be killed in the line of duty.
McCarthy’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 1:30 p.m. in front of Judge Marco Roldan.
This story was originally published July 3, 2023 at 11:48 AM.
