Albany man convicted of terroristic threats and family violence battery in Houston County

WARNER ROBINS — Keith Cobey, 52, of Albany, was convicted on Friday, August 15, to one count of terroristic threats, two counts of family violence battery, two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree and one count of hindering an emergency telephone call following a three-day jury trial. 

Cobey was ultimately sentenced to ten years, with the first five to be served in prison. 

According to a media release, these charges stemmed from an incident on February 8, 2021, centering around a 911 call about a domestic dispute at 1121 Kathleen Bynum Drive in Warner Robins. 

Warner Robins Police Department arrived on scene and heard Cobey screaming and threatening to kill someone inside. Cobey’s adult daughter and teenage granddaughter ran out of the home to the officers and were visibly seen with scratches and blood on themselves. 

“Statements made by the victims to law enforcement on that date revealed that the injuries were caused by Cobey, who became enraged over the disputed use of the family vehicle,” the release said. “Cobey had taken their phone from them and threatened them with a kitchen knife.” 

The release said Cobey was previously convicted of robbery in Dougherty County and is currently serving a prison sentence for that, which explained the delay in the resolution of the Houston County case. 

The victims in this case no longer wanted to cooperate with the prosecution by the time Cobey went to trial. The release said this is common in family violence cases. 

“The Houston County District Attorney’s Office had to seek material witness warrants on both Cobey’s daughter and now adult granddaughter following their failures to appear, and both testified at trial after having been arrested on those warrants,” the release said. 

The case was primarily investigated by Warner Robins Police Officer Leonard Kim. Cobey was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth McDaniel. She provided a few comments on this conviction: 

“Neither of the battery victims in this case wanted to testify at trial, but whether those decisions were driven by fear or forgiveness, neither changes the seriousness of the danger these women were in during this family violence assault,” she said. “The Houston County District Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting crimes of family violence, and we are thankful to the jury in this case for holding Cobey accountable for his actions.” 

Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards also provided comments: 

“This year, Houston County has experienced an unprecedented number of cases involving family violence, including the majority of our homicides. These crimes strike at the heart of our community and often leave lasting scars on children who witness them. While we always take victims’ wishes into consideration in deciding how to handle a case, we cannot and will not allow a dangerous abuser to escape justice out of fear that our witnesses may not be cooperative,” he said. “Our duty is to protect the safety of victims and the community as a whole, and this case is a reminder of that. I am grateful to the Warner Robins Police Department, Assistant District Attorney McDaniel, and the jury for making sure justice was served.”