Cherokee County jury convicts man in less than an hour after disconnected 911 call

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A Cherokee County jury found a man guilty of terroristic threats and acts.

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The conviction stems from an investigation that began last year on July 28. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went to a Waleska home after a disconnected 911 call.

According to officials, the victim told deputies that she and Christopher Dean Bowling, 29, of Waleska, had been arguing and he wouldn’t let her pack her belongings to leave.

The investigation later revealed that the victim shared a four-minute audio recording of a prior domestic incident, in which she said Bowling strangled her while a child was present.

Authorities said, deputies heard bickering, then a heated argument that led to the sound of a scuffle.

The victim allegedly went silent for about 30 seconds, not answering questions or responding while Bowling screamed vulgar language at her and suggested murder-suicide.

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Bowling was later arrested and indicted on three counts of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and acts, and cruelty to children in the third degree.

On Wednesday, a Cherokee County jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Bowling guilty of terroristic threats and acts.

This comes after the jury heard testimony from four witnesses, listened to the audio recording and reviewed several pages of text messages Bowling sent to the victim.

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“The audio recording is extremely disturbing,” said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe. “The defendant threatened, demeaned, and intimidated the victim. At one point, the victim became strangely silent. She testified at trial that, during those 30 seconds of silence, the defendant was strangling her, leaving her unable to respond.”

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, contact the Cherokee Family Violence Center at 770-479-1703. In case of an emergency, call 911.

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