Emerson family seeks justice

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. - An Emerson family is searching for justice and closure in the murder case of a loved one.

The GBI tells FOX 5 News 49-year-old Herbert 'Buster' Perkinson was kidnapped from his home January 17 of last year than shot and dumped on the side of interstate 75 in Cherokee County just east of Bartow county.

He later died at the hospital.

" I want to know who ever done this, how could you be so mean so cruel, you shouldn't do an animal that way," said Deneen Layal, Perkinson's older sister.

Greg Ramey, Special Agent in Charge of the Calhoun region says investigators determined Perkinson traveled to a different part of the state and back just before he was kidnapped from his Emerson home.

" I think they came with the intent to rob him and certainly hurt him," said Ramey.

He said it appears Perkinson was targeted for robbery which may have left his attackers frustrated and angry.

"They were not able to come up with what they thought they were coming there to rob him of. And so they retaliated by killing him? I think so yeah," said Ramey.

Perkinson leaves behind two children, a six-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy and family and friends who attend Demascus Baptist Church, a couple blocks away from the home where he was kidnapped

Evelena Linley, the victim's aunt said, "We pray and we believe that God can answer our prayer and hopefully, in this case, it'll bring some justice? Right." 

She said many of the Perkinson family grew up near the church and had called Herbert Perkinson 'Buster' since they were children, growing up in this tight-knit Emerson community.

The GBI hopes someone will contact them with information to take their investigation to the next level.

"We just need one thing, one name to start connecting some things up so we can start tracking some things," said Ramey.

Perkinson's sister said she doesn't understand why someone took her brother's life.

"The Bible said thou should not kill. Why would you want to kill my brother," said Deneen Layal.

The GBI told FOX 5 News they did not get a good description of the vehicle or the person or people involved in the kidnapping and murder of Herbert 'Buster' Perkinson.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI or Emerson Police.