Three weeks after being accused of killing a woman and prompting an eight-hour standoff, a former Richmond County deputy was denied bond, according to multiple news reports.
Jason “Moose” William Cunningham, 45, faces murder and a firearm possession charge in the shooting death of a Florida woman, AJC.com previously reported.
RELATED: Ex-Richmond County deputy arrested on murder charges after 8-hour standoff
In court Friday, prosecutors revealed that Cunningham was having an affair with the woman before her death, the Augusta Chronicle reported.
The body of 37-year-old Nicole Harrington was found in an elevator at the downtown Augusta Convention Center parking deck on the morning of June 18, authorities said. The night prior, Cunningham shot her in the back of the head after an argument, abandoning her body, prosecutors said.
Assistant District Attorney Clay Burckhalter told the judge that Cunningham confessed to killing Harrington, the Chronicle reported.
After Cunningham was tied to the crime, a lengthy standoff ensued at the Pointes West Army Resort in Appling, authorities said. He turned himself in to Columbia County deputies and Fort Gordon military police after eight hours.
Cunningham’s defense attorney, Sean Gamble, argued for bond during the Friday hearing, citing his client’s 15-year stint with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Chronicle.
That career came to an end two years ago after Cunningham tested positive for cocaine following a car wreck while on duty, according to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records. He resigned in lieu of termination.
After that, he served as a marketing and events manager for Forces United, which is a veterans' aid group. He left in April.
Judge James G. Blanchard Jr. denied Cunningham’s request for bond, adding that he could pose a danger to the community, according to the Chronicle. He remains in the Richmond County jail.
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Credit: AJC
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