Powder Springs police released the names Friday afternoon of two men arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of a young couple killed in front of their 3-year-old daughter.
Roy Hicks, 39, of Smyrna, and Demarco Thomas, 22, of Marietta, have both been arrested, police said. U.S. Marshals apprehended Hicks on Aug. 8 but did not release his name until Friday. Thomas was arrested Friday.
Hicks is charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of firearm by a felon and child cruelty. Thomas is charged with conspiracy to commit a violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, concealing the death of another and hindering the apprehension of a felon.
Shortly before 2 a.m. Aug. 6, police were called to what they believed was a single-car wreck on Parks Drive near Sharon Drive. When officers arrived, they found Anthony and Catherine Costner, of Lithia Springs, both shot inside their Pontiac Grand Am.
Anthony Costner, 24, was already dead. His 22-year-old wife died after being taken to a hospital, police said. The couple’s daughter was not injured.
“It was a miracle that 3-year-old little girl was unharmed,” Robison said during a news conference Friday afternoon. “She was in the backseat of that vehicle when all this took place.”
The day after the deaths, police said the crime was not random. Police said they had evidence that the Costners had planned to meet with Hicks prior to the shootings.
Authorities said they could not disclose the motive for the killings because the crime is still under investigation.
Police said Friday that Hicks is recovering from a gunshot wound that he received during the crime. His location was not disclosed for safety reasons. Thomas is being held in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
Authorities asked for the public’s help in locating the vehicle that Hicks and Thomas allegedly used on the night of the incident. It is described as a Silver 2005 Cadillac SRX with the Georgia tag PYA9002.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Powder Springs police at 770-943-1616 or Crime Stoppers at 404 577-8477.
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