Cabbie's body found on post,Investigation by FBI as homicide

[Gary Dee]

A body found Friday near Harmony Church on Fort Benning has been identified as missing Gold Star cab driver Jack L. Horne Jr., post spokeswoman Tracy Bailey said Saturday.

The death is being investigated as a homicide and was turned over to the FBI, Columbus Police Sgt. Stuart Pratt said. He declined to describe how Horne died and referred all questions to the FBI, who did not return repeated phone calls for comment.

Horne's body was sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy and a funeral cannot be set until the body is returned, Gold Star owner Jerry Halicki said.

Horne, 55, gave his last radio report to the cab company at about 1 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, after dropping off a customer near Harmony Church. Horne then told dispatchers he was on his way to downtown for more customers, but he was never heard from again, Halicki said.

His daughter, Angela, 17, filed a missing person's report with the Columbus Police Department at 9 a.m. that Sunday.

A few minutes after a television news broadcast about Horne Monday night, an anonymous caller phoned Gold Star and said Horne's cab could be found at the Edmond Estates apartment complex, 1302 Sixth Place South, in Phenix City. The tipster had caller ID blocked, Halicki said.

Edmond Estates has a sign in its parking lot that states, "Smile! You're under video surveillance."

"We recovered quite a lot of video surveillance," said Assistant Police Chief Ray Smith of the Phenix City Police Department. The video came from the apartment complex and areas in Columbus, he said.

Gold Star cab driver Tanya Seguera immediately drove to the complex and found the cab, then called the Columbus Police Department, she said. A joint investigation into Horne's disappearance was conducted by local police, military police and the FBI, Bailey said.

Charles Horne, Jack Horne's cousin, said the cab driver had four children, three of whom lived out of state. Jack Horne lived with daughter Angela, who is now living with relatives, he said.

Gold Star dispatcher and family friend Deborah Muse said Angela Horne is coping well right now. "I don't think that it's hit her yet."

Seguera, who had worked with the cab driver for the past 15 years, described Jack Horne as down-to-earth and friendly. "He was an amazingly wonderful friend," she said. "He's in a better place."

Cab drivers have a dangerous job, she said, but people will always need transportation. "It could have happened to anyone," she said.

Muse agreed that driving cabs can be scary. "You're out there at all hours of the day and night picking up people that you don't know," she said. "All the cab drivers need to unite and look out for each other."

Muse, Seguera, Halicki and Charles Horne praised local law enforcement for their efforts in the case.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/l...l/15261414.htm

[Gary Dee]

2 charged in murder of Columbus taxi driver

A juvenile and two men have been charged with the murder of a Columbus taxi driver whose body was found Friday at a remote site on Fort Benning's military reservation.

Master Michael Ramsey, 24, and Travis Livingston, 23, both of Columbus, are accused of murdering cabbie Jack L. Horne Jr., 55, on the military reservation, a federal offense. Both men are being held in Muscogee County Jail and were arrested earlier by the Columbus Police Department on unrelated charges, according to a statement released today by FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Jones of Atlanta.

The juvenile, whose age and name have been withheld, was arrested Saturday by FBI agents and Columbus Police detectives.

Horne had been missing since about 1 a.m. Aug. 6, when he dropped off a customer near Harmony Church on Fort Benning. He reported to his dispatcher that he was headed to downtown Columbus for more customers, but was never heard from again. His body was discovered near Harmony Church. His cab was found at the Edmond Estates apartment complex, 1302 Sixth Place South, in Phenix City, after an anonymous caller who had apparently seen a local television news broadcast Monday reporting that Horne was missing.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/l...r/15271635.htm

[Gary Dee]

Soldier linked to murder

FBI agent: Perry admitted to participating in robbery, shooting

Samuel Perry, a 17-year-old soldier arrested along with two men accused in the death of a Columbus taxi driver, is being held without bond for an Aug. 4 armed robbery.

Perry, who is with Charlie Company's 1st Battalion, 507th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, appeared in Columbus Recorder's Court Friday. Senior Recorder's Court Judge Michael P. Cielinski found probable cause to withhold bond after hearing from Police Detective Andy Farmer, who testified about the Aug. 4 armed robbery of the Spectrum convenience store at 7330 Veterans Parkway.

Two other men -- Mastermichael Ramsey, 24; and Travis Jahcorick Livingston, 23 -- were also arrested in connection with the robbery. Both men were charged with murder in the death of Columbus taxi driver Jack L. Horne while already in custody at the Muscogee County Jail for the armed robbery. They remain in jail with no bond.

Horne's body was found Aug. 11 near Harmony Church on Fort Benning.
"He said that he entered the store and took money," Farmer testified about the Aug. 4 Spectrum robbery. "It was a sworn-type statement (the FBI) took from Mr. Perry."

In an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Todd Kalish, a 17-year-old soldier, who he didn't name in the affidavit, made a statement to officers after his Aug. 12 arrest. "He gave several inconsistent versions of events, but did admit to participating with Ramsey and Livingston in the robbery of Jack Horne. The solider said that he, Ramsey and Livingston all shot Horne."
Based on an investigation and on statements from Ramsey and Livingston, Kalish writes that the trio were near the Victory Drive Race Trac and Popeye's Chicken on Aug. 5 when a call was made to Goldstar Taxi Services. Horne arrived and picked up the soldier, who had a .380 caliber handgun. The soldier told Horne to take him to the Conus Replacement Center while Ramsey and Livingston followed in a taxi used by Ramsey, a driver for Brown Cab Co.

Ramsey and Livingston met up with Horne, forcing him into the back seat of his cab while the soldier held a gun to him, Kalish states. The taxi was driven to a remote location near Martin Range on Fort Benning, where Horne was robbed and shot.

The group then used Horne's ATM card at several ATMs, withdrawing money from his account, Kalish recounts.

On Aug. 11, Ramsey and Livingston brought FBI agents, U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division members and Columbus police officers to Horne's body, which was about 20 feet off an unmarked road in the woods, Kalish writes. Ramsey also took agents to a Phenix City home, where they found a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/l...l/15310101.htm

[mndloo]

Thank you for posting this. It is up for discussion but apparently no one is interested in it.

I am the oldest daughter of Jack Horne. I was searching news and saw this. I have lots of crazy feelings but just don't know where to start. I do know that Perry has been court marshalled and I don't know the details because it is so private. I am still trying to find out. Also, just today, one of the men pled guilty and will testify against the other because he is pleading not guilty to the robbery and murder. I will deffinitely be present when the sentence is read.

[crimeshot1]

Mndloo, first, I am so sorry for your loss. It would be such a horrible way to lose a loved one. Thank you for your inside information concerning your father's murder. Please continue to keep us updated, if you are able to do so.

You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

(((HUGS)))

Sue

[mndloo]

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/165/story/598554.html

I am praying for this man. He is doing the right thing because Ramsey is saying he wasn't involved at all.

[mndloo]

Last year Master Michael Ramsey was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
This past month I received a letter telling me he has filed for an appeal and he has been granted the trial for one.

He is saying some evidence should not have been admitted and used in the trial.
So frustrating for me.