Jowers v. State

Fletcher, Justice.

Donaldson Stanley Jowers was convicted of the murder of Tawana Jean Burnham and given a sentence of life imprisonment.

Jowers and Burnham had lived together in Coffee County, Georgia for approximately three to four years prior to her death. Their relationship had been turbulent, and Jowers had physically abused her and threatened to kill her on several occasions.

One week prior to her death, Burnham entered a substance abuse center in Waycross because of alcohol and drug problems. When she entered that facility, she was “beaten up pretty badly.” Several days later, she…