Public safety summary
The Chatham County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that Michael Lee Perry, 35, pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Dezanne Cassandra Davis, 38, in August 2012.
Perry was initially charged with two counts of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Guyer of the Major Crimes Division detailed that about 10 p.m. Aug. 28, 2012, Savannah-Chatham police officer Santana Willis was flagged down on President Street by a resident of a homeless camp in east Savannah.
The man told the officer he thought someone may be dead and led him to a homeless camp in the woods near Hitch and Randolph Streets; under the Truman Parkway.
Upon traveling down a trail in the woods that led to the camp, police encountered Michael Lee Perry, who was covered in blood and upon arriving at the camp, the body of Dezanne Cassandra Davis; who had been stabbed in the side and strangled to death. Perry was taken into custody by metro police and taken to jail.
Perry accepted a negotiated plea from the state and pleaded guilty to murder. He was sentenced to life in prison; meaning he would serve a minimum of 30 years before he will be eligible for parole.
Home Depot provides three local agencies portable generators
Home Depot Tuesday provided local agencies with large portable generators as the company attempts to stengthen its partnership with law enforcement and emergency service agencies.
Fred Barrantes, of Home Depot, provided 15,000 watt generators to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Savannah-Chatham police and Savannah Fire & Emergency Services.
“It is a way for us to make good use of overstocked or discontinued items,” Barrantes said. “Otherwise, these items would be returned to the manufacturer since they’ve been replaced with newer models.”
CCSO Chief Deputy Roy Harris said the donation was “much needed.”
“This generator will help the K-9 Unit operate more effectively in emergency situations,” Harris said. “A special CCSO thanks goes out Mr. Barrantes and all of the Home Depot employees for making this possible.”
Savannah-Chatham Metro Police and Savannah Fire will also be receiving a donated generator from the distribution center.
The donation will take place at 150 Portside Ct., Savannah Ga.
For the fire department, the equipment will fall under the department’s training division and be available to any unit as necessary.
“It will be employed in the instruction of recruits as part of their skill set development that requires them to operate totally by means of generators,” Wallace said.
New traffic signals going up on Whitefield Avenue
New traffic signals are going up on Ga. 204 spur/Whitefield Avenue at its intersections with Hendry Avenue and Old Whitefield Avenue.
The signal at Hendry Avenue is in flash mode now and should be fully operational Thursday.
The Old Whitefield Avenue signal will begin flashing Thursday and be fully operational Nov. 26.
Compiled by Josh Rayburn and Corey Dickstein