PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Four people are dead in an apparent murder-suicide in Paulding County.
Police responded to the home on Ridge Road at about 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the coroner's office were at the scene all evening Tuesday.
A Paulding County sheriff's deputy and his family lived inside the home, officials confirmed.
"It appears that it was a murder-suicide based on what our forensic evidence is," said Special Agent in Charge Greg Ramey with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Cpl. Sam Driskell failed to show up to a court appearance on Tuesday, prompting a welfare check at his Hiram home. That's when four bodies were found inside the house.
Sheriff's officials identified the bodies as those of Sam Driskell, 52, his wife Muachin Driskell, 36, their daughter Carolyn, 12, and stepson, 21-year-old Felix Almonte.
Police say they believe Almonte was the shooter.
"No rhyme or reason for it. All our guys are heartbroken. We've lost one of the best guys we ever had," said Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge. "What we initially believe is they have had some issues with the stepson. I don't know how far they go. We're trying to dig into that right now."
NewsChopper 2 was above the home while there was a large police presence, with deputies arriving to investigate. The house is just west of Highway 92.
Neighbors are eager for answers about who was in the house and what transpired.
Channel 2's Ross Cavitt talked to a relative of the people who live in the house who was still in shock and said she got the news of what happened around lunchtime.
"My grandpa called to let us know to stay in the house, lock the doors. They told us everything they knew, about, you know, they were dead and they were found in their house," Haley Smallwood said. "That's it. They just told us to be careful."
"No complaints at all, just a good family," said Derrek Morris, Driskell's cousin. "He was just a good young man. I never seen anything out of the ordinary with him."
Driskell was a 10-year veteran with the Sheriff's Office. He was the director for the Sex Offender Registry.
Autopsies are expected Wednesday for the victims.
WSBTV
