Four days after District Attorney Robert Busbee’s sudden death last Friday, staff at the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office issued an updated statement, noting steps to name a successor but first expressing gratitude for an outpouring of compassion and support.
“As our staff, law enforcement partners, friends, and community continue to process this tragedy, we want to sincerely thank the countless individuals near and far who have reached out with prayers, support, kind words, and compassion,” stated the D.A.’s office team in the second sentence of Tuesday’s release.
“The outpouring of love shown has been overwhelming in the best possible way. Support has come from every corner of our circuit, across the State of Georgia, and beyond,” it continued. “During a time when words often feel inadequate, that kindness has meant more than we can properly express.”
Busbee, elected as the four-county Superior Court circuit’s chief prosecutor of felony cases in 2024, was less than 18 months into his term when he died Friday morning, May 22, at age 44. He became unresponsive while at a Statesboro gym and was rushed to East Georgia Regional Medical Center in an ambulance.
Busbee was at the hospital when he was pronounced dead at 9:07 a.m. after an apparent heart attack, according to Bulloch County Coroner Chuck Francis’ description later that morning.
Bulloch County 911 had logged the initial call from The Garage, a commercial fitness center on West Main Street, at 8:04 a.m. The Bulloch County Emergency Medical Service, headquartered just blocks away, was dispatched at 8:05:32, and the ambulance arrived at 8:08 a.m., according to the log as checked by 911 Director Kelly Barnard.
Staff soon informed
A preliminary message was posted on the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office page on Facebook shortly after 11 a.m. Friday:
“It is with profound sadness that we confirm District Attorney D. Robert Busbee has passed away. Currently, no additional formal details are available. We ask that everyone keep his family, friends and colleagues in their thoughts and respectfully honor their privacy during this difficult time.”
That initial statement went on to announce that both of the D.A.’s Office’s two physical offices, located in the judicial circuit’s two largest counties, would be closed for the remainer of last Friday. One office is across the street from the Bulloch County Courthouse in Statesboro and the other is inside the Old Effingham County Courthouse in Springfield. Jenkins County and Screven County are also served by prosecutors and other staff from those offices.
Responding at midday Friday to a reporter’s call, Lindsay Gribble, Busbee’s non-attorney chief of staff, said she had received messages from Busbee’s wife about what had happened and immediately informed leadership, including Chief Assistant D.A. Jillian Gibson at the Statesboro office and Deputy Chief Assistant D.A. Ben Edwards in Springfield, to meet with the staff in both offices.
“And we let everybody know before they heard it from somewhere else. …,” Gribble said. “Obviously it was a very, very unexpected piece of news for everybody this morning. We’re obviously thinking of his family right now and then also trying to figure out our steps forward.”
Gibson steps up
Tuesday’s updated release to news media picked up from there, confirming that Gibson will take the helm temporarily but attributing the authority to make a longer-term appointment to the governor.
“Robert was deeply committed to this office, to the pursuit of justice, and to the people of the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit,” the release stated. “As we move through this difficult transition, our office remains committed to honoring both his legacy and the work he cared so deeply about. Every member of our staff stands ready to support one another and continue serving this circuit with the professionalism and dedication Robert expected of all of us.
“After discussions with the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia and the Office of Governor Brian Kemp, Chief ADA Jillian Gibson will serve as Acting District Attorney for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit during the transition period,” the statement continued. “The Governor is expected to appoint an individual who will serve the remainder of District Attorney Busbee’s term.”
Family man & lawyer
Married since November 2016, Busbee and his wife, Erika Jordan Busbee, have three children, the youngest less than 1 year old.
“The Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office respectfully asks for continued prayers and support for Robert’s wife, Erika, their three young sons, and the entire Busbee family as they continue through this difficult time,” Tuesday’s statement concluded.
Before becoming district attorney, Busbee worked as a civil litigation and criminal defense attorney, operating an independent practice, based in Statesboro, for more than 10 years.
He declared his candidacy in February 2024, challenging previous District Attorney Daphne Totten and winning by a substantial margin in the Republican primary that May. With no Democrat in the race, he was unopposed in November, but only sworn into office Dec. 30, 2024 for the four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
A native of Jesup, Busbee had first arrived in Statesboro as a Georgia Southern University student. Majoring in political science, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2009. Then he went to the Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta. After interning briefly with a law firm in Atlanta and receiving his law degree in 2012, he moved back to Statesboro and started his law practice here in 2014.
Because of Busbee’s position as district attorney and sudden passing, the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office is assisting with the determination of the cause and manner of death. But this does not amount to a law enforcement investigation, Coroner Francis said Wednesday.