Woman shot in burglary still critical
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

An elderly Burke County woman remains in critical condition one week after she was shot by teenage burglars.

Martha Eubanks, 71, was rushed to the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) around lunchtime last Tuesday with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

According to Sgt. Dedric Smith, an investigator for the Burke County Sheriff's Office, she heard noises outside her River Road home and opened the backdoor to find two teenagers coming out of her storage shed.

The teens were later identified as Deandre Wesby, 19, and his 16-year-old nephew Christopher Scott.

"She slammed the door, but two shots were fired through it," Sgt. Smith said. "One, or maybe both, hit her."

Investigators have not determined which teen fired the shots but confirmed that blasts came from a shotgun.

Eubanks remained conscious and was able to give officers details about the attack.

Since then, however, her health has continued to deteriorate.

Although MCG officials could not comment, officers say she has suffered a heart attack and severe infection since she was admitted.

Several of them noted that the information she provided while being loaded into the ambulance was critical to the quick arrests.

Within minutes, a Richmond County canine unit was leading deputies and GBI agents from footprints at the backdoor to a neighboring house where both offenders live.

The teens weren't home, but the dogs took off to the intersection of Ben Hatcher Road where both Wesby and Scott were standing with some of the stolen property, Sgt. Smith said.

According to GBI special agent Gary Nicholson, both teens are charged with aggravated assault.

"It was a good team effort," BCSO Capt. Frankie Parker said in reference to the three-agency cooperation. "When you work together like that, you can solve a crime a whole lot faster."