Georgia Superintendent fired after murder-for-hire conviction uncovered

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According to a report from WSAV, Rincon (Ga.) Golf Course, an 18-hole municipal course, recently fired its superintendent after the city uncovered his criminal history.

In 2011, Jim Watkins, according to reports and court documents, solicited an undercover police officer to murder his brother for nearly $100,000. This allegedly stemmed from a dispute over their parents’ estate. In 2014, a Florida jury convicted Watkins and sentenced him to up to five years in prison, including nearly three and a half years of time served. Watkins is also reportedly on probation until 2030.

A report from The Georgia Virtue details a city council meeting on Sept. 26, where Watkins’ past was among several topics of discussion related to Rincon GC. The report adds that in addition to Watkins’ criminal history, he had worked at the course without a contract since June 2022.

“How does he even come here and get hired with no contract?” Councilman Kevin Exley said according to The Virtue. “We paid this gentleman $90,000 between June of last year and right now … This guy got paid $46,000 the first six months he was here and never, ever had a contract.”

The city of Rincon released a statement on Sept. 26 announcing it had terminated Watkins’ employment with the city effective, immediately.

“We have taken swift and immediate action to address the city’s liability as soon as we were able to confirm the allegations regarding the background of Mr. Watkins,” City Manager Jonathan Lynn, told WSAV.