| By Bob Weaver
 No indictment will be sought against Bobby Ray Shamblin before a Calhoun
Grand Jury next Tuesday, according to Calhoun Prosecutor Matthew Minney
(left). Shamblin has been charged with first degree murders of Ward Groves, 69,
and his ex-wife, Mary Hicks, 60.
Minney said hundreds of hours have gone into the Groves-Hicks murder
investigation, but a case against Shamblin will not be among about 15 cases
presented to the Grand Jury next week.
The bodies of Groves and Hicks were discovered on May 16th last year, after
house guest 16-year-old Ronnie Rush called 911 to report the shootings.
Minney said the case would not be presented because the investigation had not
been completed. Minney, as late as two weeks ago, was seeking a judge's order
to pull blood from Shamblin for DNA comparison on a gun which is being held as
evidence at the State Police lab.
Judge David Nibert declined to issue the order based on a lack of technical
understanding, and told Minney a decision regarding the matter would be
rendered upon further investigation.
 Shamblin (left) was released from jail on bond after State Police were unable to
present tangible evidence linking the Stumptown resident to the crime scene.
Rush had given a statement to State Police saying Shamblin shot the couple,
while holding Rush at knife point, making him a witness to the murders. Rush
claimed that Shamblin forced him to carry items from the house, and later made
him drive to a location along Steer Creek where two shotguns were allegedly thrown in the
river.
Rush, who was charged as an accessory to the crime, has been held in a juvenile
facility. Authorities have not released information regarding the status of Rush,
who is a juvenile, although reports indicate he has undergone DNA testing and
evaluation regarding his mental status to stand trial.
A case against Rush could be moving ahead in juvenile court.
Rush's status has apparently not been changed from being tried as a juvenile to
that of an adult offender.
Prosecutor Minney said among the 15 indictments, one will be sought against
Little Creek resident Harold Stutler for shooting a weapon at Richard Starcher
and another against Pine Creek resident Matthew Verbus, related to the sexual
abuse of a juvenile.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The decision to publish the name of a minor is based upon the serious nature of the crime to which the minor is attached, and is common in media related to capital crime cases and is not in violation of law, although the courts are required to protect the identity and information they release about a juvenile case. Calhoun County authorities have NOT released public information regarding this case, as it relates to the juvenile.
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