Chase L. Studstill, Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office

03/21/2026

For Immediate Release:

Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney Chase L. Studstill announces the conviction of Thurman Mitchell Adams, age 46, of Ocilla, Georgia. Adams was convicted by an Atkinson County jury on March 18, 2026, on felony charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. Adams was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus an additional five years by the Honorable Chief Judge Clayton A.Tomlinson who presided over the trial.
The charges in this case were brought after the body of William Shawn Smith was discovered in his recliner at his Savannah Avenue home on August 14th, 2020, in Willacoochee, Georgia. Agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation were called and immediately began working the case with the cooperation of the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office. Crime scene agents discovered that Mr. Smith had died from a single gunshot wound to the top of his head. Witnesses placed Adams in the residence near the time of the shooting and gunshot residue was found on a shirt given to Adams by the victim earlier that day. Adams and Smith had argued prior to the shooting over money. Several witnesses were present during the shooting but gave different and conflicting testimony during the trial. According to District Attorney Studstill, “An arrest wasn’t made in the shooting of Mr. Smith until a year later because of the different stories initially told by the witnesses in this case. It was not until after Adams was arrested that some of the witnesses came forward with the truth.”
Adams committed the murder while on probation for another crime and had been previously sentenced to 25 years in prison for violating his probation. Studstill went on to say, “Even though he was already serving a 25 year sentence for violating his probation, we felt it was important to give justice to Mr. Smith’s family for the murder. His daughter gave a compelling victim impact statement at sentencing honoring her father.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Michelle Avis and George Bessonette.” Avis said in her closing statement that “William Smith was generous to Thurman Adams. He gave him a shirt, and Thurman Adams repaid Mr. Smith by shooting him in the head.”
District Attorney Studstill thanked those involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case. “Without the hard work, dedication and cooperation of the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office along with the excellent investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, we would not have obtained a conviction. I cannot express enough gratitude and appreciation to these agencies for their efforts. I also cannot say enough about my staff. Our investigators Ronnie Thompson and Andy Hamilton, victim advocate Ina Thomas and administrative assistant Joann Bell as well as Assistant District Attorneys Michelle Avis and George Bessonette worked tirelessly on this case. They gave justice to the family and our community.”

07/18/2025

A superior court judge has sentenced a Berrien man to life without the possibility of parole plus 25 years in prison. On July 8th, 2025, a Berrien County jury took less than 45 minutes to convict Jared Dean Zisman of murdering his uncle and viciously attacking his mother and brother with a baseball bat. The crimes occurred on July 24th, 2021, and shocked the small southern town of Nashville, Georgia.

Evidence presented to the jury during the trial showed that the defendant called 911 after the attacks and stated that he had killed his family with a baseball bat, but “the job wasn’t done”. After the attack on his uncle and mother, the defendant’s brother managed to wrestle the bat from the defendant and escape.

District Attorney Chase L. Studstill stated that “The brutality of the crimes caused a visceral reaction in the community and to the jury who heard and saw the case over a two day period.

Studstill said that his office managed to obtain custodial communications made by the Defendant from the Berrien County Law Enforcement Center after the crimes were committed. In several of these communications, Zisman admitted he had “done the unthinkable” and that he had planned the attacks.

Studstill went on to say that the jury was shown the bodycam of responding officers to the scene which revealed the aftermath and savagery of the attack. “His mother’s injuries were so severe that she was hospitalized for months and almost died. He attacked and killed his uncle, then attacked his own mother while she slept. His mother lost permanent use of her left eye and both of her arms were broken when she tried to defend herself.”

The autopsy on the defendant’s uncle revealed that the victim Mark Pagan died of blunt force trauma to the head.

On Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, Chief Superior Court Judge Clayton Tomlinson sentenced Zisman to life without the possibility of parole followed by 25 years in prison. During the sentencing hearing, the state told the Court, “this man tried to destroy his entire family. His sentence should reflect the vile, viscous and inhumane way he treated his family.”

“I would like to thank the Nashville Police Department and Berrien County Sheriff’s for their excellent work and professionalism in bringing Mr. Zisman to justice.” This case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Lawson and Assistant District Attorney Michelle Avis. Studstill said that his team “did an excellent job in maneuvering through a number of legal obstacles in presenting this case. We have had four murder convictions in less than 12 months in Berrien County which is a remarkable feat and a testament to the hard work of our office. Our administrative assistants, investigators, and victim advocates continue to perform amongst the best in the state. We will keep working hard to try and make our community safe.”

07/17/2025

Please join me in congratulating ADA Laura Wood on 20 years of faithful service to the State as a prosecuting attorney.

07/10/2025

The man was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault, NPD said. His sentencing will be held at a later date, the police department said.

07/10/2025

On July 24, 2021, The Nashville Police Department responded to a report of a murder at a residence on South Davis Street. Berrien County E-911 dispatch advised responding officers that the caller stated he killed his family with a baseball bat, and that “the job’s not done.” Upon arrival officers made contact with the caller, identified as Jared Dean Zisman. Jared Zisman was quickly taken into custody without incident. Officers entered the residence to conduct a security check and located a male victim who appeared to be deceased in a bedroom with significant trauma to the back of his head. A female victim was also located in a separate room leaning against a wall, with significant head trauma. Berrien County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived on scene and rendered immediate first aid to the female victim who was then transported to the hospital. The swift response and actions of EMS ultimately saved the life of the female victim. Detectives from the Nashville Police Department arrived on scene and, through further investigation, determined Jared Zisman was the individual responsible for this heinous act.

On July 7, 2025, Jared Zisman’s trial began in the Superior Court of Berrien County. On July 8, 2025, the jury returned a verdict of GUILTY for the charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, and two counts of Aggravated Assault. Sentencing for Jared Zisman will be held at a later date.

The Nashville Police Department would like to thank the District Attorney’s Office of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit for the professional and dignifying way this case was presented to the jury. We would also like to thank our partners at the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, the Berrien County Coroner, Berrien County EMS, Berrien County E-911, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. The collaborative partnerships between our agencies demonstrate a continued commitment to keeping our communities safe and ensuring that individuals who violate the laws of this state are held accountable for their actions.

12/05/2024

This week the world lost a Great District Attorney and a Great Man. They also lost a brilliant legal, sports, and political mind. But most importantly the world lost a very honorable, kind, and big hearted man, who was a pillar to his community and a dear friend to me and my family.

Bryce Johnson I will always cherish the many good times we had, our trials against one another, Monday morning jail court, our comraderie as District Attorneys, and the countless history, sports, and political stories you told me. You were one of a kind and I’m honored to have known you and been able to have you as a close friend. Til we meet again my friend.

12/04/2024

10/18/2024

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, if you see something speak out, your actions may be the difference in someone else's life.

Domestic violence can be so easy to ignore, as it often happens without any witnesses and it is sometimes easier not to get involved. By speaking out, we can challenge attitudes towards violence in the home and show that domestic violence is a crime and not just merely unacceptable.