LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. — The Valdosta and Lowndes County community is grieving the tragic loss of Walter “Bo” Pettiford, of Valdosta, who was fatally shot Friday in the 3200 block of Skipper Bridge Road.
Deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene after reports of an unresponsive male and found Pettiford deceased with an apparent gunshot wound. Pettiford’s sudden and violent passing has left family, friends, and neighbors in shock and mourning.
Investigators identified 54-year-old Flay Rollins, of Valdosta and Tallahassee, Florida, as the suspect in Pettiford’s death. Further investigation revealed that Rollins was also connected to two separate homicides in Leon County, Florida. With assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, Rollins was arrested in Tallahassee without incident. He is currently being held at the Leon County Jail, facing multiple homicide charges.
The Valdosta and Lowndes County community continues to grieve Pettiford’s loss while authorities work to bring justice. Family, friends, and neighbors remember him as a valued member of the community whose life was cut tragically short.
