Man Charged with Wife’s Murder Captured After 2-Year Evasion in Dawson County

A man from Dallas, GA, who had been charged with his wife’s murder in 2017 but had been on the run for almost two years, has been captured and is back in custody.

Jonathan Bates was apprehended by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Unit, with the assistance of the US Marshals Service. Bates had outstanding bench warrants for multiple serious charges including Felony Murder, Malice Murder, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Cruelty to Children, and Battery.

Bates, accused of the murder of his 28-year-old wife, Cynthia “Cynde” Bates, failed to appear for a court hearing in October 2022 related to the incident. The alleged murder occurred on May 5, 2017, at the couple’s residence in Paulding County. Investigators stated that the couple’s two children, aged 7 and 4 at the time, fled to a family friend’s house after witnessing a confrontation between their parents.

“This is another great example of the hard work of our law enforcement professionals. We are truly fortunate to have such dedicated, committed members serving our community.“ said Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson in a statement.