'He always made me feel good': Slain Sylvanian remembered fondly by community
Savannah Pizza Company owner Joel Harn said Monday, Aug. 15, that Dolan Blanchard didn't work for him long, but was one of his favorites from day one.
"He would always go the extra mile to get things done!" Harn said. "He always made me feel good when I walked in and he was working!"
This is why the loss was so great for Harn and other family and friends when Blanchard was shot and killed early Sunday, July 17, along Maria Sorrell Road in Statesboro.
One of Blanchard's longtime friends, Dani Bragg, said, "I can't believe somebody would do that to Dolan because Dolan was one of the sweetest people I knew."
Blanchard was 21 when he died. According to his obituary, he was an avid collector of knives and guns, and he enjoyed gaming, especially on Xbox, and spending time with family and friends. He is remembered by his parents, Wayne Allen II and Alethia Blanchard, siblings Kasey Williams and Marcus Blanchard, and several other family members.
A funeral was held July 28 at the Screven County chapel of Joiner Anderson Funeral Home. Blanchard was buried in the Lake Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Madisonville, Kentucky.
In the weeks that followed his death, several friends and community members sent prayers to the family, celebrating Blanchard and his distinctive kindness.
Bragg recalled how, when they were in children, if Blanchard saw a homeless person on the side of the road, he would freely give them money.
Harn recalled a day when "My wife and I were doing some repair work and came to a dead end. He was passing by, hearing our frustration, told us he could help us. He went across town to borrow tools, and fixed issues."
Blanchard was also a student in Ogeechee Technical College's Adult Education Program. He starred in one of the program's first commercials, and in a July 22 Facebook post, the school shared the commercial, described how Blanchard did "an amazing job representing the program" and said he is "Forever our student and forever in our hearts."
While remembering Blanchard fondly, his loved ones also passionately want to see justice in his death.
In a press conference in early August, the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office announced they had arrested John Morris, 19, of Statesboro on July 29, in connection to Blanchard's death. The sheriff's office said Blanchard and Morris were acquaintances in a virtual gaming community and talked on a regular basis.
Those with information related to the investigation can contact the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office investigation unit at (912) 764-1787 and ask for Capt. Todd Hutchens or Investigator Reid Odom.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Sylvania homicide: friends and community remember Dolan Blanchard
