By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
OZARK — An Ozark man has been arrested and charged with murder following a fatal shooting that occurred Monday evening in the 600 block of Magnolia Avenue. This was one of two separate shootings that rocked Ozark Monday night.
According to the Ozark Police Department, officers, investigators, and deputies with the Dale County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Magnolia Avenue after receiving reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, law enforcement personnel located an unresponsive male victim on the front porch of the residence.
Deputies immediately began rendering aid until emergency personnel from Ozark EMS and the Ozark Fire Department arrived. The victim, who appeared to have suffered at least one gunshot wound to the upper torso, was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The victim later died from his injuries at the hospital, a fact confirmed by Dale County Coroner John Cawley.
While emergency personnel worked to save the victim, investigators launched an extensive investigation into the shooting. Authorities obtained and executed search warrants on both a vehicle and a residence as part of the investigation.
During the course of the investigation, authorities identified a silver Ford F-150 believed to be involved in the incident. Investigators subsequently located the vehicle on U.S. Highway 231 near Bivins Drive.
According to police, the driver matched the description developed during the investigation and was detained for questioning. Following what officials described as a lengthy interview, 32-year-old Jamaree Raquis Beaty, of Ozark, was arrested and charged with murder. He was booked into the Dale County Jail.
Investigators said Beaty cooperated with authorities and directed them to an area where he had allegedly disposed of the firearm used in the shooting. The weapon had reportedly been discarded in a thick, overgrown field in Ozark.
The following morning, with assistance from the Ozark Public Works Department, investigators located the firearm and took it into evidence.
The Ozark Police Department credited the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies and community partners for helping bring the case to a swift resolution.
In a statement, the department thanked the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, Dale County Coroner’s Office, Ozark EMS, Ozark Fire Department, Dale County E-911, Steve Woodham, the Ozark Public Works Department, and members of the public for their assistance. Police noted that both shooting investigations from Monday evening were solved within approximately 12 hours.
The investigation remains ongoing.
As with all criminal cases, the charge against Beaty is an allegation. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
