"Don't do it in front of my kids"
FITZGERALD, Ga. — A Fitzgerald, Georgia, man who recently won a nearly half-million dollar Georgia lottery jackpot was murdered overnight Thursday during a home invasion robbery.
20-year-old Craigory Burch, Jr died from gunshot wounds at a home on Stubbs Avenue.
Burch won a $434,272 Fantasy 5 jackpot in November 2015.
GBI agents spent the overnight hours collecting evidence from the home.
Officials say Jasmine Hendricks, Burch's girlfriend, was in the home at the time and ran for help.
Three masked robbers blasted open the door with a shotgun and held Burch at gunpoint, demanding his money and wallet, she said.
"When they came in, he said, 'Don't do it bro. Don't do it in front of my kids. Please don't do it in front of my kids and old lady,'" she told the local station. "He said I'll give you my bank card."
Burch then threw his pants to the robbers, who rummaged through the clothes to find his wallet. When the search came up short, the three shot and killed him before fleeing.
Right now there is no word on any suspects.
Burch, a forklift driver, bought his winning ticket on Nov. 29 from a gas station and won the $434,272 jackpot prize.
"My right eye and hand had jumped for the past two weeks," Burch explained in December, saying he had a feeling this was a lucky ticket.
"I knew that I would come into money."
His friends said he used his winnings to help buy Christmas presents for people in need. His mother, Leslie Collins, gave a tearful message to the thieves behind the slaying on Thursday:
"I want them to know what they took from me. They took a part of my life away from me."
If you have any information about the murder contact the Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office at 229-426-5161.
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I'll bet he knew his attackers.
He either bragged at work, the others were jealous.
Or a drug deal went bad.
Lottery winners must prepare themselves for major changes in how they live and donate and more. Donations must be made anonymously so that the poor do not know who to beg from. Keep it all at arms length.
Back in the late 1990's Lottery winner, Billy Bob Harrell of Texas openly donated turkey dinners to the poor and he could not say "NO" to anyone. He killed himself soon after.
Americans in general, are too generous. Generous to a fault.
This is very sad, he was so young.
It's sad but I have to agree. I'll bet his attackers were either people he knew or set up to kill him by someone he was close to. This is why when I win, I'm going to stay 100% anonymous. If I donate to charity, it will be anonymous. If I have to do a press conference it will be in a clown suit complete with a wig and face mask while I alter my voice. Then 24/7 security at my new home in a different state, and I'm not telling a soul that I won the lottery. If people ask I'll say I'm just independently wealthy and keep it at that. And most importantly no hand outs to family or friends, unless it's coming from a trust.
This is totally tragic. I really hope the ga legislature passes a law that allows for anonymous claims. There is a bill out there now but the state wants to withhold 25% of the winnings for that privledge. And that is not the way to go either.
Absolutely terrible
Yes. Very, very good advice about donating quietly. And absolutely winners need to protect themselves and keep quiet about it. The less people that know the better.
25% FOR THE PRIVLEDGE? By ALLOWING you to claim anonymously? This is insane, here we go again, the politicians get their greedy hands on $$$$.
Love the internet detectives!! What a hoot!
A life was lost....so sad.
see, that's why they should let all winners remain anonymous.
What a shame.....
Ridiculous
RIP, Hope the bad guys get caught.
My condolesenses to the Burch Family. Which raises an important question : Do you have to show your face when picking up your cheque or forced to give press conference? I am sticking with my Nixon mask, come hell or high water.
For the Love of money is the root of all evil, says the bible. People will do any and everything for money. And its ashame this young man had to lose his life for his money. I pray the cowards get caught and is giving the death penalty.
These are dangerous times; there are few who can be trusted, so be on your guard.
He didn't get a chance to enjoy his win. Probably a jealous person did this. Hopefully the murderer will be caught and jailed for life.
People in my state have their pictures taken holding huge $700 checks and I've often thought it's those winners and winners under $5000 would be robbed. It's because they are paid cash and the average thief is smart enough to know most people don't have almost 1/2 million in cash in their homes.
There is no holding a huge check photo requirement in KY especially winnings under $25,000 and the players getting their picture taken after hitting a pick-3 are doing it by choice.
Claiming anonymously is fine, and if a person can, I'm all for it.
However, I think in this case he wasn't robbed and killed because he couldn't claim anonymously. He was donating and probably making it known he had money. If so, it wouldn't have mattered how he claimed his money.
But.....I could be wrong. I think time will tell.
The rules typically say they can use your likeness to promote the lottery. You can show up in a Nixon mask, but don't expect to be wearing it for the press conference.
There's nowhere near enough information to be sure what's likely, but looking at the picture (that uses his likeness for promotional purposes) I'm inclined to think it wasn't strangers who found any of the minimal publicity that normally goes with winning a relatively modest sum.
Out here in CA there is no requirement to appear before a full court press either Stack. I mentioned that part seeing that the late Mr Burch was shown with a cheque in hand.A few years ago we had an Asian lottery winner from across the Bay who refused an interview, all he wanted was to collect his cheque and be left alone. He also took the Annuity deal. Won something like $200-300 mil and l * think was in his late 20 ' s or early 30's. Btw before l run into an English Professor l am correcting the word into " Condolences"..so there, l said it!
His age and probable elation and disbelief over winning a large sum of money most
likely played a big part in who knew. 20 years old? There are things you trust in that you
shouldn't and friends thrown in the mix of the same age do not help matters. Even if he
chose to remain anonymous, at the least, his girlfriend knew.
It's awesome to read he shared by giving gifts at Christmas and had he been alive longer,
he probably would have continued sharing. Such a shame to die by the hands of another
just 2 months after winning.
Very sad. I hope they catch the killer(s).
Withhold 25% to remain anonymous so that you and your family aren't put in harms way?!! That's extortion in my book! Greedy, greedy sons of...!
I highly doubt he was killed over any donations bringing him attention. Most likely being young and hanging with the wrong people was enough. Guessing he like most young guys his age with a ton of cash in their pockets probably bought a lot of expensive clothes, maybe a flashy car, probably started buying up the bar and club and going to the strip club with thousands of dollars in cash and someone probably decided to rob him. He wasn't the first and won't be the last. I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone he knew and trusted either.
Where does it say he was killed for his money? It doesn't.