Man arraigned in Ga. for killing Jackson native

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. -- John Edward Woodham, 28, of Douglasville, the man accused of killing former Jackson resident Dylan Polen, was charged Wednesday in Carroll County, Ga., with felony murder, malice murder, concealing a death and aggravated assault.

Ann Allen of the Carroll County District Attorney's office said that Woodham can be tried for both malice murder and felony murder, but will be sentenced for only one. Felony murder is a murder committed in conjunction with another felony, in Woodham's case, aggravated assault.

Woodham pleaded not guilty through his attorney. He remains in jail, held without bond.

Polen, 21, disappeared July 9 from Atlanta, where he had been a volunteer for a Christian ministry called Mission Year. His body was found July 14 in an area where trees had been cut for pulp wood.

Woodham was arrested July 22. A grand jury held early this month found enough evidence to indict him.

Allen said Thursday that the cause of death was shooting. She declined to say how many times Polen had been shot or by what caliber weapon, stating that the district attorney's office will not release that information prior to trial.

In an earlier report, Carroll County investigator Shane Taylor said that Woodham and Polen apparently knew each other.

Allen said that Woodham could be tried during the next trial calendar which begins Nov. 8, but it is more likely that it will be early 2005 before his case comes up.