Middle Georgia Cold Cases: The Death in Dublin

45-year-old Ira Underwood was shot and killed in Dublin.

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Dublin police officers aren’t sure who shot a man on his front porch in August 2014.

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One detective says it’s possible he was targeted, but no one is certain and now investigators are asking for residents help.

On the usually quiet South Washington Street where birds chirping outweigh the noise of traffic, two bullets broke the silence.

“They heard a shot ring out and they actually thought it was a firecracker,” Sgt. John Knight said referring to the case where he serves as lead detective.

He and other investigators want to know what happened to Ira Underwood — a 45-year-old Dublin native who was shot and killed on his front porch.

The first shot that was fired missed; the second hit Underwood.

“Two seconds later, they hear another one. Mr. Underwood gets up and grabs his chest and says ‘I’m hit’,” Knight said re-enacting the scene.

Knight says bullet fragments showed the gun was a .22 caliber rifle.

So now there was a question:  did someone want Underwood gone or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?

“We believe he was targeted based off an altercation the night before. I really can’t go into all that, but yes sir, we do think he was targeted,” Knight said.

Underwood was taken to the hospital, but it wasn’t in time. He died shortly after.

“There could’ve been a lot of other people hurt during that situation,” Knight said.

Cops had no leads and very little witness testimony explaining what they saw or who they saw.

“It’s very frustrating. When you get assigned a case, you really want to close this case,” Knight said.

He wrestles with the unknown. Who could’ve killed a man in the middle of the night? Why?

“When you have one that you can’t close, that doesn’t sit well,” Knight said.

It’s a case he says he isn’t giving up on until he can answer those questions. The GBI is helping in this investigation.

If you know who killed Ira Underwood, call the Dublin Police Department at (478) 277-5023.