Cornelia Man Sentenced on Murder Conviction

A judge sentences a Cornelia man to a life sentence on a murder conviction in Habersham County.

54-year-old William Douglas Downer was convicted of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Burglary, and Aggravated Assault last month in the death of Michael Larry Hill in Habersham County in August 2012.

Last week, Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Russell W. “Rusty” Smith sentenced Downer to life with the chance of parole on the felony murder charge and 20 years consecutive to the Felony Murder sentence on the Armed Robbery conviction.

The consecutive sentence means that the 20-year Armed Robbery sentence would not start until the Felony Murder sentence expired by parole.

Acting Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George R. Christian said the remaining convictions under the law were deemed to merge with the other offenses for which sentences were pronounced.

Judge Smith issued the sentence after hearing evidence from both the State and the defense.

Prosecutors said that Downer and a co-defendant, Albert Brown, killed Hill and then disposed of his body by burning it at a residence on Ayres Road in Mt. Airy.

Brown is serving a life sentence as well for his participation in the murder.