Georgia lotto winner gunned down in home invasion

FITZGERALD, GA (KTRK) -- A family in Fizgerald, Georgia says their relative was gunned down in a home invasion because he recently won the lottery.

Craigory Burch Jr.'s family and friends say it was a targeted attack after Burch won $434,272 in the lottery.

Jasmine Hendricks, Burch's girlfriend, says a shotgun blew open the door and three masked, armed men ran inside the home.

Hendricks told local station WALB, "When they came in, he said, 'Don't do it bro. Don't do it in front of my kids.' He said, 'Please don't do it in front of my kids and my old lady. Please don't do that bro. Please don't.' He said, 'I'll give you my bank card'."

Burch threw his pants to the robbers, but Hendricks says the men shot him after realizing his wallet wasn't in those pants, killing him instantly.

Hendricks says she's sure they were after some of the $400,000 he had won. She said, "Ever since he hit the lottery we kept getting calls, text messages, all that, saying, 'Be careful because people are out for him to rob him'."

Hendricks said, "They took my man from me. They took my son's daddy from him. Both of my sons. I ain't worried about nothing about the house. No nothing. I want to know who killed him. That's what I'm worried about."

Leslie Collins, Burch's mother, is looking for justice. She said, "I couldn't live with myself if I don't know what happened to my child. ... I just want somebody to know, whoever has any information. Please, please contact the police department. I just beg you please. He didn't deserve to be gunned down like this in his own home."

WALB reports Burch recently used some of his lottery winnings to buy Christmas gifts for people in need.