"Don't do it in front of my kids"
FITZGERALD, Ga. — A Fitzgerald, Georgia, man who recently won a nearly half-million dollar Georgia lottery jackpot was murdered overnight Thursday during a home invasion robbery.
20-year-old Craigory Burch, Jr died from gunshot wounds at a home on Stubbs Avenue.
Burch won a $434,272 Fantasy 5 jackpot in November 2015.
GBI agents spent the overnight hours collecting evidence from the home.
Officials say Jasmine Hendricks, Burch's girlfriend, was in the home at the time and ran for help.
Three masked robbers blasted open the door with a shotgun and held Burch at gunpoint, demanding his money and wallet, she said.
"When they came in, he said, 'Don't do it bro. Don't do it in front of my kids. Please don't do it in front of my kids and old lady,'" she told the local station. "He said I'll give you my bank card."
Burch then threw his pants to the robbers, who rummaged through the clothes to find his wallet. When the search came up short, the three shot and killed him before fleeing.
Right now there is no word on any suspects.
Burch, a forklift driver, bought his winning ticket on Nov. 29 from a gas station and won the $434,272 jackpot prize.
"My right eye and hand had jumped for the past two weeks," Burch explained in December, saying he had a feeling this was a lucky ticket.
"I knew that I would come into money."
His friends said he used his winnings to help buy Christmas presents for people in need. His mother, Leslie Collins, gave a tearful message to the thieves behind the slaying on Thursday:
"I want them to know what they took from me. They took a part of my life away from me."
If you have any information about the murder contact the Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office at 229-426-5161.
I'll bet he knew his attackers.
He either bragged at work, the others were jealous.
Or a drug deal went bad.
Lottery winners must prepare themselves for major changes in how they live and donate and more. Donations must be made anonymously so that the poor do not know who to beg from. Keep it all at arms length.
Back in the late 1990's Lottery winner, Billy Bob Harrell of Texas openly donated turkey dinners to the poor and he could not say "NO" to anyone. He killed himself soon after.
Americans in general, are too generous. Generous to a fault.
This is very sad, he was so young.
It's sad but I have to agree. I'll bet his attackers were either people he knew or set up to kill him by someone he was close to. This is why when I win, I'm going to stay 100% anonymous. If I donate to charity, it will be anonymous. If I have to do a press conference it will be in a clown suit complete with a wig and face mask while I alter my voice. Then 24/7 security at my new home in a different state, and I'm not telling a soul that I won the lottery. If people ask I'll say I'm just independently wealthy and keep it at that. And most importantly no hand outs to family or friends, unless it's coming from a trust.
This is totally tragic. I really hope the ga legislature passes a law that allows for anonymous claims. There is a bill out there now but the state wants to withhold 25% of the winnings for that privledge. And that is not the way to go either.
Absolutely terrible
Yes. Very, very good advice about donating quietly. And absolutely winners need to protect themselves and keep quiet about it. The less people that know the better.
25% FOR THE PRIVLEDGE? By ALLOWING you to claim anonymously? This is insane, here we go again, the politicians get their greedy hands on $$$$.
Love the internet detectives!! What a hoot!
A life was lost....so sad.
see, that's why they should let all winners remain anonymous.
What a shame.....
Ridiculous
RIP, Hope the bad guys get caught.