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Father, son arrested in connection to murder of Blackshear woman

Kimberly Guess, 34, was shot and killed in Blackshear on Oct. 17

BLACKSHEAR, Ga. – A father and son were arrested Thursday in connection to the October murder of Kimberly Guess in Blackshear, according to the Blackshear Police Department.

RELATED: ‘I just want justice’: Georgia mother sends message to daughter’s killer

Officials said that Tracy Bryant Sr. worked with Guess in Waycross and they were previously in a relationship, but investigators are still working to determine her relationship with his son, Tracy Bryant Jr.

Police Chief Chris Wright said they executed a search warrant at the son’s home in relation to the murder and they found about 10 pounds of marijuana.

“They were charged with that and they have not technically been charged with the murder yet.” Wright said. “We have the arrest warrant to charge them but we have to work with the district attorney’s office and the county to formally charge them.”

The father and son are currently in custody for the drug charge.

Wright said murders are not common in Blackshear.

“It’s been about four years since we’ve had our last murder and this is the longest we’ve had an unsolved murder,” Wright said.

Shirley Lee, Guess' mother talked about what happened and the message she has for the person who pulled the trigger.

An image of Kimberly Guess. (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

“I just want justice,” Lee said. “That coward killed my daughter cold-blooded.”

She continued, “I want him to come forward...I don’t understand why he shot my child like this,” she said. “I do not understand. I want answers. I want to know why he shot her like this. Why he killed her?”

But her mother says someone was hiding, waiting for her.

“He was hiding somewhere around the car or by the garage,” she said. “He came around and shot her five times, three in the chest, one in the side, and one in the leg.”

Lee said one of Guess’s daughters heard the shots and her mother calling for help.

Reward flyer for Kimberly Guess. (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

Kimberly was Lee’s only daughter, and the grieving mother said she couldn’t have asked for a better one.

“She had a heart of gold. She was outstanding,” said Lee. “She would do anything for anybody. I saw and talked to her every day. Everybody who knew Kim loved her.”