Talley was discharged from the Piedmont Medical Center and transported to the Muscogee County Jail by a Columbus Police Department Patrol Officer.

He was charged with the following offenses: murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and violation of oath. 

Talley’s preliminary hearing will be scheduled for Saturday May 18, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. in Recorder’s Court.  It will be asked to be re-scheduled to Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. hrs. in Recorder’s Court.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan has confirmed the victim is Kelly Levinsohn.

Assistant Chief of Police, Gil Slouchick released the following statement detailing a suspected deadly domestic-related shooting that’s left a woman dead and a Columbus Police Sgt. facing murder charges.

On May 11, 2019 at approx. 7:59 pm, the Columbus Police Department received a 911 call in reference to an injured person at a home on Pratt Avenue.

Upon the officer’s arrival, an individual met police and stated they had reason to believe that the resident of the home had been either seriously injured or possibly killed.

The reporting individual also stated that they had reason to believe that the person responsible for the injuries was employed by the Columbus Police Department.

The caller explained that they believed that the person responsible had just been involved in a motor vehicle accident on the interstate in Harris County.

The responding officers forced entry into the residence on Pratt Avenue and discovered a deceased woman. The victim had been shot. The Homicide Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

Investigators determined and confirmed that the Harris County Sheriff’s Department was out on a wrecked vehicle off exit 30 on I-185. Columbus Police Department employee WILLIAM LEONARD TALLEY, w/m & 51 years old was the driver of the wrecked vehicle. Talley was taken to the Piedmont Columbus Regional Medical Center ER for his injuries. At last report, Talley was listed in Critical condition and admitted to the Hospital.

Over the next several hours, the Homicide Investigators developed probable cause to believe that WILLIAM LEONARD TALLEY was indeed responsible for the death of the woman on Pratt Avenue. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

A Murder Warrant was obtained and Talley has been taken into custody by the Columbus Police Department. A Recorders Court hearing is pending his release from the hospital.

William Talley is a Sergeant with the Columbus Police Department. He has been with the department since July of 2002. His status at the time of this report is administrative leave without pay. Talley was not on duty at the time of the incident, and the motive is believed to be domestic.

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – A woman was shot and killed on Pratt Avenue late Saturday night and a Columbus police officer is suspected in the death, according to authorities.

A Columbus police officer is in custody in connection with the homicide, Police Chief Ricky Boren confirmed Sunday morning to News 3.

Sgt. William Talley was taken into custody at the Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown campus, Boren said.

Details are still scarce, the chief said.

“We are just beginning this investigation,” Boren said.

The dead woman’s name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan. 

She was shot at a residence on Pratt Avenue, which is between Warm Springs Road and Moon Road in north Columbus.

About midnight, police were still investigating the scene at the Pratt Avenue residence.

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Blue lights from several Columbus Police Department Patrol cars illuminate the darkness in the 5800 Block of Pratt Avenue, near Yancey Street.

Late Saturday night, a news tip led WRBL News 3 to the residential area where we located the patrol vehicles and saw at least part of the scene had been taped of by yellow crime scene tape.

Major J.D. Hawk with the Columbus Police Department tells News 3 at this point he is unable to comment on the ongoing investigation along this section of roadway. However, the department will update as soon as it can.

News 3 is reaching out to other sources and will share confirmed information with our viewers just as soon as we can on this developing story.