Authorities in Georgia are investigating a murder-suicide that occurred last week, leaving three adults and one unborn child dead. Kevin Andrew Akins, 37, is identified as the individual who killed his estranged wife, his pregnant girlfriend, and ultimately himself.
According to a press release from the Dalton Police Department, the tragic events began in the early morning hours of May 21 when Kevin Akins went to the apartment of his estranged wife, Rebeca Nicole Akins, 35, on Murray Avenue in Dalton, a city located approximately 30 miles southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Surveillance footage captured the assailant leaving the apartment around 6 a.m. However, Rebeca Akins’s body was not discovered until over two days later when concerned coworkers, noting her absence from work and unanswered calls, requested a welfare check by the police.
Officers, unable to gain entry initially, were eventually granted access by apartment staff and found Rebeca Akins deceased with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Detectives were immediately notified, and an investigation commenced. A GoFundMe campaign launched by the victim’s younger sister described Rebeca Akins as having been “tragically taken away from us by the man she had loved for over half of her life.”
Further investigation revealed that Kevin Akins then traveled to another apartment on Shadow Lane, roughly four miles away. This was the residence of his girlfriend, Cindel Mae Rhoden, 33, who was five months pregnant with a baby boy, as detailed in a separate GoFundMe appeal. Inside this apartment, law enforcement officials confirmed that Kevin Akins shot and killed Rhoden before taking his own life.
The grim discovery at Rhoden’s apartment was made on May 24, under somewhat unusual circumstances. While police were awaiting a search warrant, Rhoden’s father entered the apartment using his key and subsequently found his daughter and Kevin Akins deceased from gunshot wounds. He immediately exited the residence and called 911 to report his findings.
The GoFundMe for Cindel Rhoden portrayed her as “more than just a victim of this tragedy,” emphasizing her kindness, vibrancy, and devotion as a mother of two girls. The fundraiser is aimed at providing support for her daughters’ basic needs, funeral expenses, and future stability as they navigate this profound loss.
The family of Rebeca Akins also highlighted the challenging financial implications of the tragedy. Her sister explained that due to her 20-year relationship with Kevin Akins, her finances were intertwined with his. As she was listed on his life insurance policy, the circumstances of their deaths have created uncertainty regarding its ability to cover her funeral expenses. The family is seeking to raise funds to provide Rebeca Akins with a service that appropriately celebrates her life and the positive qualities she possessed.
As of the time of this report, law enforcement officials have not publicly disclosed a motive for the killings. The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing.
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