NOTE: Adel News-Tribune Editor Charles Shiver is debuting his “New Frontiers” series on Valdosta Today with this examination of the recent Peacock mass murder that took place in 2016 as a veteran crime reporter.

By Charles Shiver

If I were an armchair detective, I would have a number of questions about the case involving convicted mass murderer Jeffrey Alan Peacock, 25-years-old at the time of the crime on May 15, 2016.

Following a bench trial last week, Colquitt County Superior Court Judge James Hardy sentenced Peacock to five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole — one for each of the victims – Jonathan Garrett Edwards, Ramsey Jones Pidcock and Aaron Reid Williams, all 21; Alicia Brooke Norman, 20; and Jordan Shane Croft, 22.

The victims were shot inside their residence by Peacock, who then set fire to the Rossman Dairy Road, Moultrie, home in an attempt to conceal the crimes.

Peacock was sentenced to 20 years to be served consecutively on an arson charge; five years (concurrent to the life sentences) for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime; and five years each (concurrent) for aggravated cruelty to animals, three counts.

Peacock was convicted of causing the death of three dogs. Two died of smoke inhalation and burns during the fire, while the other suffered a devastating head injury.

Depending upon the source, Peacock was described as either a resident of the Norman Park or Lenox area.

The FBI defines mass murder as murdering four or more people during an event with no “cooling-off period” between the crimes. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more people kill several others.

Here are my questions that I don’t think have been satisfactorily answered concerning the Peacock case:

• Why did the State decide not to pursue the death penalty for such a heinous crime?

• Why didn’t Peacock’s attorneys pursue an insanity defense?

• What was the motive for the killings, other than a drug-induced rage? I guess some would find it sufficient for Peacock to be simply identified as a homicidal maniac.

• Why didn’t this case, with so many young lives lost, generate as much media interest and public scrutiny as some other recent slayings? As far as I can tell, the Peacock trial wasn’t live-streamed like the Bo Dukes trial concerning the burning of Irwin County teacher Tara Grinstead’s body.

• Since Peacock is being imprisoned for life, could he be studied to help prevent similar acts of bloodshed in the future, i.e., warning signs to watch for, to help design interventions to “turn off” the switch that starts a killer in motion?

There are really some weird aspects of this case:

Peacock originally had claimed his friends had been awake when he went for breakfast at Hardee’s, and he returned to find the house on fire about an hour later. During subsequent questioning by the GBI, he claimed that one of the male victims, Jordan Croft, had actually killed the others and he (Peacock) then fought Croft, took away his pistol, and shot Croft. The judge didn’t accept the changing stories and ultimately convicted Peacock.

By the way, I have covered murder cases for a long time; this is the only murder case I can recall where an accused murderer subjected himself to a bench trial (by judge) rather than a trial by jury. This was justice like out of the Old West where circuit judges would ride their horses from dusty town to dusty town and dispense sentences after hearing all the evidence. Perhaps the defense attorneys felt a jury would recommend the death penalty for Peacock upon conviction, I don’t know.

I haven’t verified this, but credible sources say that his supporters wore “Team Jeffrey” shirts in court, while defending him on Facebook.

Peacock was treated at the hospital after the residential fire in May 2016 and then took to his Facebook page to post, “Well I don’t think this year can get any worse.” His post drew nearly two dozen comments of condolences and support from friends and family.

His Facebook page was removed shortly after his arrest. Observers of the Facebook page prior to its removal noted some violent and disturbing content, including a photograph in which Peacock’s truck was burning up, in flames, during a prior incident. In another post, Peacock showed thick blood gushing from his nose. He stated he woke up early one morning with the hemorrhage.

Another Facebook photo showed that Peacock has the namesake image of the iridescently colored bird tattooed on his back.

• Peacock enlisted with the U.S. Marines in April 2011 and left on Dec. 21, 2012. He was assigned to electronics maintenance and never deployed overseas. A military spokesman told WTOC-TV that Peacock’s “premature discharge and rank are indicative of the fact that the character of his service was incongruent with Marine Corps’ expectations and standards.” Indications are that he was dishonorably discharged as the result of drug problems.

Peacock claimed on his Facebook page that he was a Lance Corporal at the time of his separation from the Marines, but officials said he actually was a Private First Class.

In a very disturbing account, Peacock told a GBI interviewer that he observed Ms. Norman had been shot in the eye and his military training made him aware that the wound was fatal. “I grabbed her and I held her,” Peacock told the GBI. “I cried for a second. I covered her back up.”

• Peacock was a member of the Marine Corps Junior ROTC at Colquitt County High School and was a member of the state champion rifle team.