BLACKSHEAR, Ga. — In the aftermath of the tragic events on October 25, the daughter and sister of the two men who were fatally shot inside their Blackshear home have shared how their lives have been profoundly affected.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of 30-year-old Avery Courson, who faces murder charges in connection with the deaths of 64-year-old Virgil Chaney and his 37-year-old son, Christopher Chaney.

“In our small town, incidents like these are virtually unheard of. It’s exceedingly rare for such violence to occur here,” remarked Jacob Winters, chief investigator at the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Winters, authorities were alerted around 10 a.m. to the incident near Highway 121 South, located in the southern region of Pierce County.

“The scene was devastating, among the most harrowing I have ever encountered,” Winters added.

The daughter of Virgil, sister of Christopher, gave First Coast News a statement,  “My dad and brother would literally give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. They were good men with good hearts. They loved their family, they loved their friends, and my dad would and did do everything to protect his, including losing his own life.” 

The deputies caught the suspect a little over an hour after the 911 call.

Winters said it’s not Courson’s first run-in with the law. “He’s had some other charges in the past, some drug charges…some thefts,” added Winters. 

Winters said they found Courson at a nearby store buying energy drinks.

The daughter said she was happy he was caught so quickly, but said the family did not know the suspect. 

She said her dad made a living repairing sewing machines and growing his own food with his wife. 

She said her brother loved animals, helping and rescuing them. She mentioned how he always had a dog by his side.

The daughter notes that the family has been struggling to adjust to their new reality. “I wish this was all a bad dream, and I could just wake up and have a chance to redo so many moments with them and get so many more.” 

Winters said they’re still tracking down leads.