WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — As Warner Robins Police Department continues to investigate what started as a welfare check on Monday morning, more questions have cropped up as a result, and they are now working to put together the pieces.
According to the police department, officers initially responded to a welfare check on Nov. 7 around 11 a.m. Once on scene, they discovered three people who had been shot and later died at a house on the 100 block of Edgarton Way in Bonaire.
The three victims were identified as 84-year old Betsy Burke, of Bonaire, 34-year old Tiara Burke, of Bonaire, and 35-year old Antwain Everett, of Macon.
As forensics began to work the scene, the case became a homicide investigation, and then on Tuesday, evolved into a murder-suicide case.
Lt. Eric Gossman provided insights on the investigation to The Journal. He said Tiara Burke and Everett were in a relationship prior to the incident. The police department is still working to find a motive.
When the Journal spoke with Gossman, he told us forensics was working to validate what they had gathered from the scene, and that their findings would steer the investigation.
He further explained that the police department is working to find digital communication that could further help them piece together the events leading up to the shooting and answer questions that remain.
“You have to get search warrants to go into phones and computers to see if you can get validation from those leads that [investigators] got from family members of the three that were deceased,” Gossman said.
Gossman also spoke on the tragic nature of the case, and encouraged the community to seek help if they suspect tragedy on the horizon.
“We hope that people have the ability to recognize if they’re in any kind of crisis in their relationships in their day-to-day lives and that they can identify resources that will help them get through it, whether it’s religion or it’s a mentor or a professional that deals with those types of problems that they might be facing,” Gossman said.
At press time on Friday, the incident is still under investigation, led by Det. Broussard. Anyone with more information is encouraged to contact him directly at (478) 302-5380 or Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.
HHJ News
