Slain Gwinnett deputy previously lost son in hit-and-run crash
For more than four years, Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett lived with the pain of not knowing who killed her son in a hit-and-run crash.
On June 2, 2021, Richard Bartlett III was trying to secure a mattress on top of a vehicle when the 23-year-old was struck, Johns Creek police said at the time. His mother was standing beside him.
Over the weekend, tragedy befell the family again. This time, it was the grieving mother who was killed.
Forsyth County investigators said they believe Tuitt-Bartlett was shot to death Saturday evening by her boyfriend, who also turned the gun on her teenage son. The son ran to a neighbor’s home for help. By the time deputies arrived, Tuitt-Bartlett was dead in her home’s upstairs bedroom, the sheriff’s office said. She was 49.
Tuitt-Bartlett was also a member of law enforcement. The 20-year veteran of the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and master deputy was not working when she was killed.
Gwinnett Sheriff Keybo Taylor publicly identified his deputy Monday morning.
“Master deputy Tuitt-Bartlett served our community for nearly 20 years with unwavering dedication, compassion and integrity, truly embodying the core values of the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office,” the sheriff said in a social media post. “Her commitment to protecting and serving made a lasting impact on all who had the honor of knowing and working alongside her.”
The suspect was quickly identified as Eric Sumner, 43, of Suwanee. Sumner had traveled some 80 miles south on I-75 and was tracked to Monroe County. He was taken into custody after a brief chase, the Forsyth sheriff’s office said.
“The loss of life to violence is senseless, but the loss of a law enforcement officer should hit home to every one of us in a community,” Forsyth Sheriff Ron Freeman said. “I would like to personally thank the Monroe County Georgia Sheriff’s Office for their quick response in capturing this dangerous suspect.”
On Sunday, Sumner was booked into the Forsyth County jail. He has been charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault. Additional charges are pending, investigators said.
Sumner has a lengthy criminal history, including serving three times in prison between 2002 and 2012 for drug-related convictions, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Investigators did not release a possible motive for Saturday’s shooting. But Tuitt-Bartlett’s teenage son told them his mother and Sumner had been arguing. That son, whose name has not been released, was being treated for his own gunshot wounds at a local hospital, investigators said.
In addition to the teenage son and her son killed in the 2021 crash, Bartlett was the mother of former NFL player Stephon Tuitt.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end attended Notre Dame and played high school football at Monroe Area High School in Walton County. Tuitt was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.
After Richard Bartlett’s death, Tuitt posted a photo with his brother on social media.
“You are in heaven living stress free,” he wrote. “I miss you so so so much bro.”
Tuitt retired from the league in June 2022, citing his brother’s death as among the reasons for his departure.
Funeral arrangements are pending for Tuitt-Bartlett, who was being remembered by law enforcement and others.
“We send our prayers and support to her family, loved ones, colleagues, friends and to the entire sheriff’s office family,” the Gwinnett County district attorney’s office said.
Tuitt-Bartlett’s life should be celebrated, along with her legacy, Taylor said.
“She will never be forgotten,” the sheriff said. “Please keep her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
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