Authorities have experienced a significant development in the investigation of a 17-year-old boy’s death in Georgia, dating back to 2011.
Blake Chappell disappeared while heading to a friend’s house after leaving his girlfriend’s residence, following their high school homecoming dance on October 16th of that year.
The young man was discovered deceased from a gunshot wound in a creek, only wearing underwear, on December 19, 2011.
Initially, Blake’s missing status was treated as a runaway case until his body was located in the creek shortly before the holiday season.
Fox 5 reported that in 2023, police received an anonymous letter, prompting authorities to urge the sender to come forward with more details. Although the impact of the letter is uncertain, investigators have confirmed a significant advancement in the case.
On Friday (September 12), The Newnan Police Department announced an arrest related to Blake’s death, approximately 15 years after the incident. Scotty Elliot Smith has reportedly admitted to the crime and has been charged with murder.
Authorities state that the 38-year-old faces additional charges, including ‘aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, concealing the death of another, and tampering with evidence’.
The department released a statement: “This arrest is the result of countless hours of dedication by the Newnan Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, as well as the direct, professional assistance of the Coweta County DA’s Investigators.
“We thank the community for the continued support and cooperation throughout this lengthy process. The commitment of our partners and the community’s trust has been vital in the pursuit of justice.”
Smith had not been previously considered a suspect in Blake’s murder, but a ‘new lead’ pointed investigators in his direction.
“During the investigation into this new lead, the NPD detectives corroborated facts of the case, as related to Smith,” Police added.
“In his multiple interviews with detectives, Scotty Smith confessed to the murder of Blake Tyler Chappell.”
According to People, Smith has a prior criminal record and was incarcerated in August 2018 for various offenses, including criminal damage and property damage to government facilities.
The suspect was released from prison in July 2020, as per inmate records.
Though an arrest has been made, the investigation remains active, and police are encouraging anyone with information to contact Det. Marcos Gonzalez or Lt. Chris Robinson at (770) 254-2355.