Man Pleads Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

An elderly Toccoa man, charged with a 2016 murder, pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

74-year old Gary Lamar Patrick pled guilty Tuesday in Stephens County Superior Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter in the February 2016 shooting death of 41-year old Robert Gary Hiott who was using the alias Richard Gary Bump.

According to Mountain Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Rick Bridgeman, Patrick was sentenced to 12 months probation and six months of house arrest.

He was also ordered to have no contact with Bump’s family.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said early on the morning of February 21, 2016 investigators were called regarding a shooting at 11 Patrick Lane.

The sheriff said that Patrick had previously been at the residence and the confronted the sister of Bump.

According to Shirley, an argument ensued but Patrick left.

However, Shirley said that Patrick came back again and began arguing with the homeowner.

The sheriff said that Bump, the brother of the homeowner, stepped in between them in an attempt to stop Patrick, who appeared to the homeowner to be intoxicated, from arguing with her.

According to Bridgeman, Bump began to beat Patrick and during that altercation, while Patrick was down on his knees he pulled out a gun and shot Bump, killing him.

Bridgeman said Bump’s sister appeared Tuesday at Patrick’s hearing and told the judge she had forgiven Patrick and asked that, due to his ill health, he not be given jail time.