Suspect arrested in slaying of man found tied up in Jackson home

Authorities have made an arrest in the death of a man found tied up in the basement of his home.

The body of Eldon Ledford, 61, was found Nov. 14, and authorities had thought it was suspicious. The Aiken County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide due to blunt-force injuries.

On Tuesday, Adedoyin Babafemi Odutola, 36, was arrested in Richmond County, Ga., in connection with the death, according to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. He was still in Richmond County jail late Friday afternoon.

When Ledford’s body was found, it looked like the place had been ransacked. Officers had gone there to check on his well-being, and they found burnt documents and a bloody shirt.

A few weeks earlier on Oct. 20, police had also visited his house for a well-being check. One of Ledford’s acquaintances asked them to check on him. No one had seen or heard from him in days.

Jackson police say when they got to his house, his car was in the driveway. They went into the home and saw drawers had been pulled out in all rooms.

They didn’t see Ledford.

They then called Fresh Market in Augusta. That’s where he was looking for a job around that same time. An employee says Ledford went there for a meat-cutting test and he was offered a position, but he never came back. They got worried and called him for days, but he never answered.

Police couldn’t find him. No one could until neighbors called about a bad smell coming from his house. And that’s when police saw what happened.

read more