Cops: Barrow County man kills mother-in-law, self

A Barrow County restaurant owner apparently killed his mother-in-law and then turned the gun on himself, authorities said.

Jennifer Muriu called 911 Monday night to report that her husband had fired a gun inside the couple’s Bethlehem home, Barrow Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Guthas said.

“Mrs. Muriu did not know, however, if anyone had been hurt by the shooting,” Guthas said in an emailed statement. “Also inside the residence at the time was a 66-year old-female, Diana Freeman, Jennifer’s mother.”

Inside the home, investigators found Freeman, who had been living with the couple, dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

Muriu’s husband, Ian Muriu, was dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Guthas said.

“This investigation is ongoing,” Guthas said. “However, the indications at this point are that Ian Muriu shot and killed Diana Freeman, his mother-in-law, before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.”

Investigators did not release possible motives for the deaths.

The Murius were co-owners of the Spitfire Restaurant at the Barrow County Airport in Winder, according to the restaurant's Facebook page. The restaurant opened in May 2011 and is featured in this month's edition of Georgia Magazine.

“The Murius landed in Winder after a decade working at restaurants and five-star resorts around the world,” the article says.