THOMASVILLE — A firearm found in a dry dirt bed at Cherokee Lake is being tested for ballistics in the event it might be connected to unsolved crimes, including a 2010 homicide.

The Covington Avenue lake has been drained for dam repairs. A volunteer in a weekend clean-up project was looking around in the dry lake bed when he saw a shiny object partially embedded in dirt.

The firearm, a .25-caliber Raven, was turned over to Thomasville Police Department. The small-caliber handgun is silver-colored with wood hand grips.

Police Chief Troy Rich said the gun will be traced by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the owner.

“And then they do ballistics testing, too,” Rich said.

Among the city’s unsolved crimes is a 2010 homicide at Providence Plaza in which an arrest was never made. A small-caliber handgun was used in the fatal shooting, but police will not specify the caliber.

The recently-found firearm is being held in police evidence.

Capt. Maurice Holmes, TPD Criminal Investigations Division commander, said another firearm has been found in the lake since it was drained.

“The other was rusted,” he said. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820