WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Murdered soldier's son OK thanks to good Samaritans

Murdered soldier's son OK thanks to good Samaritans

By Michelle Paynter - bio | email

CHATHAM COUNTY, GA (WTOC) - Police are still trying to figure out how a toddler ended up on a busy road in Garden City Thursday night just hours after his father was found murdered on Hutchinson Island.

The victim was 21-year-old Necco McCraw. He was a private with the 3rd Infantry Division, stationed at Hunter Army Airfield.

See Police ID body found on Hutchinson Island.

His son who is not yet 2-years-old, has been reunited with his mother and was not hurt. Passersby found him during the evening rush hour Thursday.

See Boy found wandering alone son of homicide victim.

One of them, who only wants to be identified as Diandre, said he never would have imagined his father was murdered.

"I thought the kid just wondered away from home," Diandre said. "Come to find out that happened, that just put my heart in my socks."

Garden City police chief David Lyons said the little boy was found along US Highway 80 up on a busy and dangerous overpass. A passerby grabbed him and took him down the street.

"I saw this guy with a kid in his arms and I took the kid from him," Diandre said. 

Diandre is leery about being identified. He said he is trying to stay out of this matter as much as he can. "There was a kid involved so you know sometimes you have to put that stuff aside and do what you've got to do," he said. 

Savannah-Chatham police are doing what they have to do to find out how the boy ended up in Garden City and who murdered his father.

"I think you are going to find one in the same, once the suspects are arrested for the homicide we'll also have the reason who actually put the child on the highway," SCMPD assistant chief Willie Lovett said.  

Construction workers found McCraw's body Thursday afternoon on Hutchinson Island.

"This is not a random act where someone was carjacked and killed," Lovett said. "We have every reason to believe the person who is responsible for the death was well known to the victim."

Since the victim was a 3rd ID soldier, police are working with Army officials to try to solve this crime. A crime that left a young boy without a father.

Police have found the victim's car. Officers found the dark blue 2002 Cadillac Deville on Friday around 6pm on 51st Street between Barnard Street and Montgomery Street.

Anyone with any information about this homicide can call SCMPD or CrimeStoppers at 912.234.2020.

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