DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) - Jury selection began Monday at 9 a.m. in the trial of Jeffery Harper, the final suspect charged in the 2020 murder of 39-year-old Vann Brown.

Brown was beaten and left for dead on New Year’s Day 2020 on Woodrow Harper Road in Coffee County. His cause of death was from a combination of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.

He now faces counts of both malice murder and felony murder. After several pretrial motions, Superior Court Judge Kelly Brooks moved the trial to Bulloch County to ensure a fair and impartial jury.

Brown’s best friend, Willis Grant Royal, said “No one was arrested that night, they were allowed to go on with their wedding party like nothing happened. Somebody should’ve been in jail that night.”

The other two men charged in the case—Jason and Justin Anderson, who are brothers — have already stood trial. Jason was convicted, while Justin was acquitted. Now, Brown’s loved ones await yet another jury’s decision, hoping for justice.

Royal explained, “I grew up with the belief that an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, they did what they did, and they should have to pay the consequences.”

If convicted, Jeffery Harper could face life in prison without parole.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2025 WALB. All rights reserved.