Chattooga County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in 2022 Mobile Home Shooting

Chattooga County, GA — On August 19, 2025, a Chattooga County jury found Thomas Nelson Tucker Jr., 64, of Menlo, guilty on three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The charges stem from a December 22, 2022, incident in which Tucker fired multiple shots into a mobile home occupied by three people following a domestic dispute with his former girlfriend. Deputies from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence on Reece Street, where the victims identified Tucker as the shooter.

Investigators determined that Tucker had returned to the residence, honked his horn, and displayed a handgun when an occupant came outside. After the occupant retreated indoors, Tucker fired several rounds into the home. Though no one was injured, bullets entered the living space where three people were present.

A search warrant later executed at Tucker’s residence uncovered a black 9-millimeter handgun hidden under a nightstand and a casing lodged under the driver’s seat of his truck. Evidence was processed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab.

The two-day trial before Judge Melissa Hise included testimony from three victims, two deputies, and a GBI firearms examiner. After just over an hour of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.

Tucker, sentenced as a recidivist, received 25 years, with 17 years to serve in prison and the remainder on probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael E. Harty, supported by the District Attorney’s Office team and victim advocates. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller praised the outcome, emphasizing the county’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable.