Authorities in north Georgia are looking into what is believed to be a double murder-suicide involving a 37-year-old man who allegedly shot his wife and girlfriend before taking his own life.
Dalton Police reported they responded to an apartment just before 6 p.m. on Friday after coworkers raised concerns about the absence of a woman they hadn’t seen in several days. Upon receiving no response at the door, apartment personnel permitted entry, where they discovered 35-year-old Rebeca Nicole Akins deceased, likely due to a gunshot wound.
Detectives investigating the case found surveillance video showing a suspect leaving the apartment at about 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Later that Friday evening, they traced a vehicle linked to the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Kevin Andrew Akins, to another apartment complex’s parking lot. They sought a search warrant for a unit belonging to 33-year-old Cindel Mae Rhoden in the complex. While awaiting the warrant, Rhoden’s father arrived with a key, expressing he had not been in contact with his daughter for several days.
He entered the apartment and found Rhoden and a man — later identified as Kevin Akins — shot to death.
Police quickly determined that Akins had shot Rhoden to death before killing himself.
Rhoden was the mother of two young girls and was pregnant with her third child at the time of her death, WANF reported.
Investigators have not speculated on a motive for the murders.
