WALKER COUNTY, Ga. — UPDATE (Thursday):

The family of a man at the center of a 7-year-old cold case in Georgia is sharing more information about his death.

Earlier this week Marshall Payne was indicted on charges related to Donald Fickey Junior's death.

The GBI originally ruled his death a suicide back in 2016, but later changed that ruling to "undetermined" in 2020 after reviewing the evidence.

"DJ would not have ever killed himself. He loves his kids too much. He loves his family too much," says Amanda Shirley.

Payne's arrest now seems to show Fickey was murdered, a claim the victim's family has believed for a long time.

"I've said since day one that he did it. I knew he did it," says Amanda.

DJ Fickey was inside his Walker County home when the family says he was shot and killed.

DJ's sister Amanda says she always believed the "suicide" was actually a murder.

Amanda Shirley spent years fighting for justice.

"I made him a promise that when we went and seen that funeral home that I wouldn't stop until the person that took his life was held accountable," says Amanda.

Now three years later, Marshall Payne was just indicted on two counts of murder.

Eric Echols, the family's private investigator, says a deeper look broke the case.

"Sometimes when you've got fresh eyes or sometimes when you hire a person, then people start looking at it," says Echols.

We spoke with Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson three years ago. He told us then that the case would not reopen because there was not enough evidence.

"Simply changing the manner of death from a suicide to undetermined just convolutes this entire process in my opinion," said Sheriff Wilson.

We tried reaching back out to him Thursday, but he was unavailable for interview.

Now seeing the suspect behinds bars, Amanda says...

"He looks a lot different."

It's a sight Amanda says is a relief.

"It was just a relief to be able to put his picture with the title of a murderer," says Amanda.

And now, After years of sorrow, Amanda and Echols say hard work pays off.

"There was times where, you know, as opposed to being a private investigator, I was a counselor. There was times I was Big Brother. There was times, you know, it went through all those emotions. But at the end of the day, justice is on his way of being served," says Echols.

The family also told us that the 911 call was made by Marshall Payne, the accused killer.

DJ leaves behind 2 daughters and a son, who says he wants to be a detective when he grows up to solve cases like his fathers.

Shirley has also helped other people investigate unsolved murders.

She says she plans to keep doing that, even after this case is over.

EARLIER:

Authorities have arrested and charged a man for the 2016 murder of a man in Walker County.

Medical examiners and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at the time ruled Donald Fickey, Jr.'s death a suicide.

But 3 years ago, the GBI overturned that finding, ruling that Fickey's cause of death was 'undetermined.'

Now, it appears he was murdered.

Police arrested 50-year-old Marshall Ralph Payne Tuesday night in Murray County.

Fickey's family members worked for years to bring justice for his death, including hiring a private investigator.

A Walker County Grand Jury indicted Payne back in April.

We're working to learn more details, including what investigators believe was the motive for Fickey's murder.

Watch our earlier coverage below:

Depend on us to bring you updates on this developing story as we get them.