The suspect in a double murder killed himself as Richmond County authorities surrounded his hotel early Saturday.
The suspect’s name is not being released by authorities pending notification of kin. But the victims of the double murder on Hammond Avenue were identified as Raven Tolbert and Mercedes Gibson, both of Augusta. A third female was shot and transported to the hospital and is expected to survive, sheriff’s Sgt. William McCarty said.
“There were several children inside the residence when the incident occurred but they were unharmed,” the sergeant said.
During the course of the investigation a suspect was identified and a search was conducted. On Saturday morning around 3 am, investigators tracked the suspect to a room at Gordon Inn And Suites at 906 Molly Pond Road.
“As investigators and deputies arrived to the scene and approached the room, a single gunshot was heard coming from inside the room,” Sgt. McCarty said. “The SWAT Team responded to the scene and made entry to find the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
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The Augusta community is mourning after two friends were killed in a domestic double murder on Friday night.
Raven Michelle Tolbert, 27, of Hammond Ave, and Mercedes Nora Shanice Gibson, 27, of Augusta, were each shot at least one time and pronounced dead on the scene around 7:30 p.m., Coroner Mark Bowen said.
The sheriff’s office says deputies responded to the residence and located two victims who were deceased on the scene from gunshot wounds.
“A third victim was found shot and was transported to Augusta University Medical Center, condition is unknown,” the sheriff’s press release says. “The incident is believed to be domestic related.”
There is no suspect information at this time, the RCSO release says. (Check back here on the latest on suspect information.)
Several posts have honored the two victims and hinted at the killer…
