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Person of interest in Commerce shooting death of 72-year-old in custody, denied bond in court

The sheriff's office said Monday morning Xavier Clark was arrested in the shooting death of Calvin Varnum.

COMMERCE, Ga. — A person of interest identified Sunday in the fatal shooting of a 72-year-old with disabilities in Commerce is now in custody.

Police identified 23-year-old Xavier Clark on Sunday night as the person of interest in connection to the homicide of 72-year-old Calvin Varnum.

A judge read Clark's charges and denied him bond in a first appearance hearing Monday.

He had initially been wanted just for questioning. The sheriff's office said that Clark was arrested during a late Sunday night traffic stop on charges unrelated to the murder investigation, a Monday press release stated. 

RELATED: Commerce community shocked 'beloved' 72-year-old with special needs fatally shot

According to Commerce Police Chief Ken Harmon, Varnum was standing on the sidewalk in front of a Hardee's when the suspected shooter drove up in a dark blue Dodge Journey.

Harmon said the two had some sort of conversation before the suspect shot Varnum multiple times. Police said a Good Samaritan was able to resuscitate Varnum before he was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center by EMS, but the 72-year-old died a short time later.

Credit: Commerce Police Department

The shooting left the small northeast Georgia community of Commerce shaken and asking who would do such a thing. It is the first homicide investigation in the city in two years.

Varnum was a beloved member of the community, known for walking around the town and waving to folks every day.  

Kasi Jordan has lived in Commerce all her life.

"Even though we may not have known him on a personal level, we knew his smile. We knew his wave. We knew what he brought is joy," Jordan added. "And I think all of us as a community are going to grieve and mourn that.”

Dana Lynn Rucker said she's Varnum's cousin.

“I was devastated. I was like, ‘No, this could not happen to Calvin, because Calvin doesn’t bother anybody,'" Rucker said. "He wouldn’t harm anybody.”

Rucker said Vernum comes from a big family. And their hearts are broken into a thousand pieces.

 “He was a kind person," Rucker said. "If he could do anything to help you, he would, but to lose your life as senselessly as this, that’s not right.”

Clark is being charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of second degree cruelty to children.

Authorities have not said if the cruelty to children charges are related to Varnum's murder.

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