Joseph Mays, 34, of Griffin, Georgia, pleaded guilty to Malice Murder on February 10, 2026, in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Jamie Wiley, a 36-year-old woman from Michigan.
According to authorities, Mays and Wiley had been dating for a few months and were living in Wiley’s camper at an RV park in Catoosa County. On the evening of January 17, 2025, Mays shot Wiley in the head while the two were inside the camper. He then attempted to conceal the crime by dumping Wiley’s body near a creek alongside the Chief Richard Taylor Nature Trail in Ringgold.
The following morning, members of a walking group discovered Wiley’s body off the trail. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation began investigating the case. Because Mays had removed Wiley’s phone and wallet, her identity was unknown for the first 48 hours after her body was discovered. Authorities later identified Wiley through her fingerprints. After her identity was confirmed, relatives directed investigators to Mays.
Agents interviewed Mays, who confessed to killing Wiley but claimed he acted in self-defense. Investigators determined that the physical evidence, along with Mays’ actions after the murder, were not consistent with a justifiable homicide.
Mays had been scheduled for a jury trial in March 2026 and appeared in Catoosa County Superior Court on February 10 for pretrial motions. At the conclusion of those motions, he entered a guilty plea to Malice Murder. Superior Court Judge Don W. Thompson sentenced Mays to life in the Georgia Department of Corrections. He may become eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
Agent Will Gee with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Acting District Attorney Deanna Reisman, with assistance from Chief Investigator Christy Smith, Victim Advocate Shelby Armstrong, and Legal Assistant Leann Black.
Acting District Attorney Deanna Reisman said, “While no sentence can ever restore the life that was taken or erase the pain inflicted, the outcome in this case delivers accountability, protects our community, and sends a message that domestic violence will be prosecuted with the full force of the law. Jamie’s family supported this guilty plea and life sentence as it showed that Mays finally accepted responsibility for Jamie’s murder.”