Victim in attempted murder case named

Published 9:32 am Thursday, January 19, 2012

An August 2011 domestic dispute was the beginning of a road to recovery for Gregory Gainey, who ended up as a patient in an Atmore hospital following the incident.

Puckett

Charged in the case is Jeffrey Scott Puckett, who is now facing charges of attempted murder.

Puckett, 47, of South Palmers Road in the Uriah community, was indicted by an Escambia County Grand Jury in October 2011 but has just recently been taken into custody and charged for his alleged actions in the incident.

Gainey was allegedly attacked with a golf club and knife by Puckett, according to officials with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.

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Investigator Preston Hill, said the Aug. 26 incident was reported to dispatchers with the department just before 2 a.m. leading officers to the scene of the crime.

“The sheriff’s office received a call about 1:48 a.m. on that date that a man had been struck several times with a golf club and then stabbed five times in the neck,” Hill said. “The incident occurred on Burlington Street in Atmore.”

Hill said witnesses at the scene said the incident occurred in the midst of a domestic disturbance between Puckett and his girlfriend.

“According to several witnesses, Puckett was abusing his girl friend and she called on a friend of hers, Gregory Gainey, to help her. Puckett attacked Gainey with a golf club until he was on the ground. Then he took a knife and stabbed Gainey five times in the neck. I don’t know how he survived.”

Hill said he went to Atmore Community Hospital where the victim was taken for treatment in the attack and conducted an interview concerning the incident and the alleged attack.

Hill also said Puckett had been evading law enforcement officers during the months since the indictment was handed down against him.

“Last week we got lucky,” HIll said. “He was never at home when out deputies went by, but this time, they were luck and caught him there.”

Hill said Pucket remains in custody on at the Escambia County Detention Center and is being held on $250,000 bond.