A Georgia official announced on Monday, April 11, that the victims of a triple homicide found recently in the state were the son and parents of local coroner Richard Hawk. They made the spine-chilling discovery at a gun range that his family owns.
The Coweta County Coroner began to worry after he could not reach his parents and son on Friday. Hawk went looking for them at the family's Lock Stock & Barrel Shooting Range in Grantville, located about 50 miles south of downtown Atlanta in Georgia.
According to CBS News, Hawk discovered the bodies of his parents, Tommy and Evelyn Hawk, and his son, Luke. He spoke to reporters about how he stumbled onto the horrific crime scene. According to Hawk, he did not get the call in an official capacity, and he was the one who actually found them.
Hawk makes shocking discovery at family's gun range
Hawk said his family was not home the way they were supposed to be, and that is why he went to check on them at the gun range. According to Hawk, that was when he made the discovery.
According to funeral home announcements, Hawk's parents were each 75 years old at their deaths, while his son was just 18 years old. Hawk said his son, Luke, was on spring break from East Coweta High School when the deadly robbery occurred.
Hawk declined to discuss the gruesome crime when asked by reporters, fearing that he could jeopardize the ongoing police investigation. He admitted, though, that they don't have enough leads right now. Hawk also said that he is relying heavily on his faith to guide him through this troubling time.
Police told ABC7 that about 40 weapons and a video camera were taken during the robbery, which took place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8. Investigators are now looking for leads, asking residents in the area whether they saw any vehicles - other than a black Ford SUV or a white Ford truck - near the Hawks' shooting range late Friday afternoon.
Solving this case is a top priority for ATF
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Grantville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are all investigating the killings. A $15,000 reward is being offered to anyone who has information that will lead to an arrest or a conviction of those responsible for the deaths.
Benjamin Gibbons, the special agent in charge of the ATF office in Atlanta, issued a statement regarding the investigation, saying, "The brutality of these senseless murders along with the fact that these killer(s) have acquired additional firearms make solving this case our top priority."
Coweta County Sheriff Lenn Wood also issued a statement to NBC News about the killings, calling the deaths "senseless and tragic." He also said that the slayings have left the community "with hurt, pain, and very little answers."
