By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Grand Jury indicts two in 2025 Statesboro murder
Sylvania men accused of killing Portal man Oct. 25
mugs comp Nickens Ward
Khalir Nickens, left, and Timothy Ward

A Bulloch County Grand Jury indicted two Sylvania men earlier this week on multiple charges, including felony murder, in connection with the shooting death of 30-year-old Deontre Mincey of Portal on Oct. 25. 

Khalir Nickens, whom police suspect pulled the trigger, turned himself in to the Statesboro Police Department Dec. 18. Nickens, who is from Sylvania, was indicted on the following charges: felony murder, criminal attempt to commit a felony/murder, four counts of aggravated assault and five counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

Timothy Ward of Davis St. in Sylvania, was arrested Dec. 17 in Effingham County by U.S. Marshals and transported back to Bulloch County. Ward was indicted on the same charges as Nickens: felony murder, criminal attempt to commit a felony/murder, four counts of aggravated assault and five counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

According to Statesboro Police, the incident in question occurred shortly after 1 a.m. Oct. 25, when shots were fired in the parking lot of 200 Lanier Drive, a commercial retail strip. Upon arrival, SPD officers discovered the victim deceased on the scene from a gunshot wound.

The victim – Mincey – was quickly identified using an SPD portable fingerprint scanner. 

Multiple detectives responded to the scene and reviewed video surveillance and accessed Flock tag reader data. Through the use of various technologies, forensic work, interviews and search warrants, detectives were able to quickly identify Nickens as the primary suspect.

A felony murder warrant was issued on Oct. 26 for Nickens, also from Sylvania. Nickens remained at large and his search was “being worked by the U.S. Marshals Service,” Statesboro Police Capt. Jared Akins said prior to Nickens turning himself in Dec. 18.

In an email, Akins said: “This case was investigated, and the arrests made, with the assistance of the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Screven County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Southern University Police Department and United States Marshals Service.”