Homer Man Indicted for Murder in Girlfriend’s Death

A Homer man has been indicted by a Banks County grand jury for the murder of his live-in girlfriend last summer.

Last week, the Grand Jury said there was enough evidence to move forward with the charges against 49-year old Billy Charles Lewallen in the July murder of 48-year old Sonya Gail Phelps.

Phelps died from ligature strangulation and blunt force head injury.

Shortly after her body was discovered by deputies, Banks County Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt Carrissa McFaddin Lewallen was arrested.

McFaddin said deputies were called to Lewallen’s home on McDonald Circle on July 2nd after someone called 911 to say Lewallen was hiding a body in a closet in his home.

When officers arrived at the house, they found Phelp’s body under on the floor of a bedroom closet hidden under blankets and pillows.

Lewallen was indicted last week on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another.