TRIPLE SHOOTING IN ATHENS: Slaying motive unclear

Athens —- The University of Georgia professor accused in a stunning triple homicide in Athens on Saturday dropped his children off with a neighbor shortly after the shootings —- and vanished.

Police said late Sunday they had no trace of George M. Zinkhan III, 57 —- no hits on his ATM card, credit cards, cellphone or passport. But Athens-Clarke County Police Capt. Clarence Holeman suggested that the professor would surface.

“Criminals make mistakes,” Holeman told The Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got a Ph.D., an M.D. or whatever.”

The university, meanwhile, said it was confident it could keep the sprawling campus secure and notified students that classes would continue as usual today. “We see no reason for classes to be canceled,” said campus Police Chief Jimmy Williamson.

The motive for the slayings of Zinkhan’s wife, Marie Bruce, and two other members of the Town & Gown Players remained unclear.

A few dozen current and former members of the group had gathered at Athens Community Theatre Saturday in what some described as a reunion. Most were inside the theater, but a small group remained outside, Holeman said.

Zinkhan was not present at the start of the luncheon but arrived after it began. At about 12:30 p.m., Holeman said, an argument erupted between Bruce and Zinkhan, who walked away and then returned with two handguns and started shooting. Marie Bruce, 47, Ben Teague, 63, and Tom Tanner, 40, each suffered multiple bullet wounds and died.

Zinkhan then went back to his car, in which his daughter, 10, and son, 8, were waiting. He drove the children to neighbor Bob Covington’s house and asked Covington to watch the kids because there was an emergency.

Covington, who said he has lived next to Zinkhan for eight years, described him as “hurried” but not in a way that made him suspicious.

Police took charge of the children but said Sunday both were now with Bruce’s brother in another city.

A nationwide alert was issued for Zinkhan’s red 2005 Jeep Liberty with Georgia license plate AIX-1376. Authorities said they have searched in Texas, where Zinkhan has relatives.

On Sunday, grief-stricken friends of the victims left candles and flowers in front of the theater, near the spot where their friends had died.

Ben Teague’s wife, Fran, an English professor at UGA, said in a statement: “Yesterday Ben was murdered, which is hard to comprehend and impossible to accept. It was a beautiful day, however, and he was in his favorite place with the people he loved.”

Gary Moon of Athens had just left classes at nearby Piedmont College when he heard gunshots.

“It was like pow, pow, pow. At first I thought it was just somebody fooling around with a cap gun or something,” Moon said. “Then I saw a lady who was walking her dog. She took off running and screaming down the street.”

Moon called 911 and reported the shooting, then drove up to the scene. Trained in CPR he sought to help. “I was too late. There wasn’t anything I could do.”

—- Staff writers Elissa Eubanks, Mike Morris, Kent Miles, Jennifer Brett, Alexis Stevens, Chip Towers and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

THE VICTIMS

Marie Bruce, 47

Dina Canup began working with Marie Bruce at the Town & Gown Players about eight years ago, and quickly came to respect Bruce’s many talents, she said.

“Marie has been a mainstay there. She was witty, lively, brilliant and funny,” she said.

Bruce, who police say is the estranged wife of suspected shooter George Zinkhan, worked in the Athens law firm of attorney J. Hue Henry. She served as the president of the theater, but had also directed and acted in her nearly 20 years with the troupe.

Tom Tanner, 40

On April 13, Tom Tanner celebrated his 40th birthday. Today, his friends and family mourn the husband and father known as a prolific member of the Town & Gown Players.

“You could utterly and completely count on [Tom],” said Canup. “He was very smart and funny, and designed some of the best sets.”

According to his Facebook page, Tanner earned a doctorate in economics and geography from UGA in 2005.

Ben Teague, 63

Friend Brantley Settle, who said he’s known Ben Teague for nearly 20 years, described the man who wore overalls and had a Santa-like scruffy beard as “approachable” and extremely intelligent.

Teague, who was married to UGA English professor Fran Teague, grew up in East Tennessee and lived in Texas before moving to Athens in 1977, according to his eponymous Web site. He worked as a translator for business, government and law technical manuals, and had a passion for reading and theater. He began working with Town & Gown in 1990, according to his Web site, and pitched in everywhere from building sets to directing to acting.

—- Compiled by Katie Leslie and Marcus Garner