News

Both Defendants Plea Guilty in Halloween 2023 Murder:

This afternoon, Kevin Yamil Rosa and Jagunte Jaylee Bass pleaded guilty to murder and other offenses for their roles in the death of Faybeann Ragsdale on Halloween night in 2023 in the Home Depot parking lot.

During the guilty pleas in court today, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jillian Hall describe the facts of the case. Bass reached out to Ragsdale telling Ragsdale that Bass’s “bro” wanted to purchase marijuana. However, this supposed drug transaction was a set up by Rosa and Bass to rob Ragsdale. On October 31, 2023, Ragsdale agreed to meet Rosa in the Monroe Walmart parking lot. However, because there was law enforcement present in the parking lot, the meet location was moved to the Home Depot parking lot.

Bass drove he and Rosa to that location. Rosa exited their vehicle and got into Ragsdale’s SUV. Once inside, Rosa shot Ragsdale twice. Ragsdale’s vehicle was on, and when Ragsdale was shot, the vehicle accelerated rapidly in an out-of-control manner. The vehicle eventually traveled through the Home Depot parking lot, through a portion of the bank parking lot, and then collided with a car near the entrance to Arby’s.

Witnesses observed Rosa exit the vehicle and flee before being picked up by Bass. They fled together. Monroe Police quickly responded and began an investigation. Evidence from Ragsdale’s cell phone, along with surveillance footage and a witness accounts led investigators to Bass and Rosa.

Rosa was located and arrested near a friend’s house in Conyers hiding in the backseat of a vehicle, along with bloody clothing and a gun, which had been hidden under his friend’s mother’s bed. Bass was arrested in Coweta County.

Cell phones belonging to both Rosa and Bass were located and showed extensive evidence of their plans to rob Ragsdale at gunpoint. Rosa was already a convicted felon.

Rosa and Bass pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows:

Rosa:

Malice Murder, 3 counts of Felony Murder, Attempted to Commit Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, Illegal Use of Communication Facility, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Sentenced to life in prison plus 25 years.

Bass:

2 counts of Felony Murder, Attempted Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Possession of Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, and Illegal Use of Communication Facility.
Sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jillian Hall, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, Victim Services Director Kim Kelly, and Senior Legal Assistant Melanie Sims. The investigation was led by the Monroe Police Department with assistance from the GBI, the Walton County District Attorney’s Office, the GBI Crime Lab, and other surrounding agencies.

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit

Thank you Nancy Burgess!

Founder and long-time Executive Director of A Child's Voice Child Advocacy Center, Nancy Burgess is retiring at the end of this year. Nancy has dedicated over 50 years of her life to serving the most vulnerable in our communities. She retired from DFCS after 30 years and went on to establish A Child's Voice in 2006. She has served as its Executive Director since 2008.

A Child's Voice Executive Director Nancy Burgess, with DA Randy McGinley (left) and Sheriff Keith Brooks (right)

A Child's Voice (ACV) is the Child Advocacy Center that covers the Alcovy Judicial Circuit, Walton and Newton Counties. A non-profit organization, ACV provides forensic interview services, forensic medical examinations, family advocacy services, and counseling services to children who have suffered sexual or physical abuse or were witnesses to sexual or violent crimes. The Center also provides community outreach, including trainings and education.

ACV has grown to the amazing organization it is today because of the hard work of Nancy. Initially, ACV was located in Covington, and then Loganville, renting the space it needed. Then, in late 2012, it purchased a permanent location in Social Circle, in part to be centrally located to serve both Counties. The agency has expanded into more than one building and more employees to provide more services to children.

Nancy's work has helped countless children in our communities. Newton and Walton are a better place to live and raise a family because of her five decades of dedication. Thank you for everything you have done!

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Nancy Burgess with present and past ACV Board Members

Knoblauch sentenced to life without parole in murder of Melvin Cooksey:

Danetta Knoblauch appeared in court today for her sentencing hearing after being found guilty in November of the murder of Melvin Cooksey and other related charges. Multiple members of Cooksey’s family gave victim impact statements in court discussing how these horrible crimes have deeply affected them. The Court then heard from both the defense and the prosecution regarding their argument of the appropriate sentence.

The State provided the Court with records relating to Ms. Knoblauch’s disciplinary history while being held in the Newton County jail. The State then argued that life without the possibility of parole was the appropriate sentence for Ms. Knoblauch, based on the particularly heinous nature of her crimes, her steps to try to cover-up her murder of Cooksey, her lack of remorse or taking responsibility, and her history.

The Court ultimately agreed that Knoblauch should not be eligible for parole. In total, Knoblauch was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 30 years in prison.

Prior story from after jury verdict:

A Newton County jury found Danetta Knoblauch guilty of the murder of Melvin Cooksey after a weeklong trial. The trial started Wednesday, November 12, 2025 and ended yesterday, November 20, 2025, around 3pm when the jury found Knoblauch guilty of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Arson in the 1^st Degree and Concealing the Death of Another.

The investigation began in late February 2023 with the highly publicized missing person report involving Melvin Cooksey. On February 23, 2023, Newton County deputies and firefighters responded to a fire in a residence on Mote Road. Fire investigators discovered that the fire had been intentionally set and propane tanks had been spread throughout the house.

These events led to a lengthy investigation by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the District Attorney’s Office. In May of 2023, a couple hiking through the mountains in Fannin County, located a human skull. Law enforcement responded to the area and found a pacemaker. The pacemaker’s serial number matched to Cooksey.

Witness statements, social media records, phone records, and FLOCK (license plate reader) camera records led investigation to identifying Knoblauch. Investigators then discovered that she was wanted for attacking another man with a sledgehammer and screwdriver in Kansas. Also in May 2023, Knoblauch was tracked to East Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a lengthy standoff there with local and state police, Knoblauch, who also had her child with her during the standoff, was arrested on the Kansas warrants.

Investigators from Georgia were present during the standoff and interviewed Knoblauch. Her child was forensically interviewed by a local child advocacy center. Both interviews provided incriminating information to law enforcement. Knoblauch was extradited to Georgia and booked into the Newton County jail on July 4, 2023. A Newton County Grand Jury then indicted her for Cooksey’s murder and other charges on August 4, 2023.

The case proceeded with numerous pretrial hearings before trial started last week. During trial, the State presented 25 witnesses and approximately 750 pieces of evidence. This included extensive mapping of the Defendant’s movements with evidence from cell phone tower records of her phones and Cooksey’s phone, FLOCK camera records, and location data from CashApp. A forensic anthropologist testified about injuries to Cooksey’s skull. Extensive crime scene testimony and evidence, as well as GBI crime lab witnesses presenting DNA evidence, implicated the Defendant in Cooksey’s death. Text messages, social media messages, interviews, and body camera footage from Louisiana and Kansas were also presented to the jury.

After the State rested its case, the Defendant chose to testify. Closing arguments concluded after 5:30 pm on Wednesday, November 19. Numerous family members and friends of Melvin were present for the guilty verdict. Knoblauch remains in custody and will be sentenced on December 10, 2025.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Bailey Wilkinson, Assistant District Attorney Madison Caito, Investigator Josh Shumate, Chief Investigator Kelly Whire, Victim Advocates Madison Sanders and Mollie Peacock, Trial Assistant Ellen Bales, and Chief Legal Assistant Cindi Hendrix.

The investigation was led by Newton County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Corporal Josh Hicks and GBI Special Agent Amelia Maddox. Other agencies assisting in the investigation include: the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, the GA Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana State Police, East Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office, Sedgwick County (Kansas) District Attorney’s Office, Brazoria County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office, the Baton Rouge Child Advocacy Center and A Child’s Voice Child Advocacy Center.

“Because of the tireless work of the prosecution team and the lead investigators, the person responsible for this senseless and heinous crime has been convicted. This was a complicated case that required expertise in so many areas and a dedication to finding the truth. I want to thank the numerous agencies that assisted in the investigation and trial preparation for this case. This verdict shows the continued dedication of the DA’s Office to seeking justice for victims and their families.”

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit