Frederick Bernard Durham was convicted in Upson County, Georgia, of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and concealing the death of another for killing his live-in girlfriend, Margaret Dubinion, in October 2023. He received a life sentence without parole. The Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office detailed his confession, claiming he assaulted her after she called him vulgar names during an argument.
Crime Details
Durham admitted to holding Dubinion down, beating her head with his fist, and strangling her, causing injuries like brain bleeding, swollen eyes, broken ribs, and fractured cervical bones. He wrapped her body in a comforter, stuffed it into a suitcase in a closet, then went to work, bought lottery tickets, and drove her car to Atlanta. He ambiguously told police he was unsure if she was alive when placed in the suitcase.
Discovery and Prosecution
Dubinion’s family reported her missing on October 20, 2023, prompting a welfare check that found no one home. They discovered her body the next morning in the Thomaston apartment closet. Senior Assistant District Attorney Audrey D. Holliday described Durham’s actions as an “evil act” from a “malignant and abandoned heart,” praising the family’s role in securing justice.
