Man, woman killed in murder-suicide at downtown Decatur hotel

The GBI responded to the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Clairemont Avenue in downtown Decatur on Wednesday morning to process the scene of an apparent murder-suicide. Two people were found dead inside one of the hotel rooms, according to Decatur police.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

The GBI responded to the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Clairemont Avenue in downtown Decatur on Wednesday morning to process the scene of an apparent murder-suicide. Two people were found dead inside one of the hotel rooms, according to Decatur police.

A man and a woman were found dead Wednesday morning in what Decatur police investigators consider a murder-suicide at a downtown Decatur hotel.

Officers were called about 1:30 a.m. to investigate a report of gunshots at the Courtyard by Marriott on Clairemont Avenue, police spokesman Sgt. John Bender said in a news release Wednesday night.

They found 42-year-old Ranie Overman of Atlanta with at least one gunshot wound and 46-year-old Gerald Loch of Atlanta with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Bender said in the release.

Police said the two were in a relationship.

“We do not believe there are any other suspects involved in this case,” Bender said, adding that no motive has been determined.

The GBI was requested to help process the crime scene.

A hotel guest said he heard 8 to 10 loud pops but assumed they were part of continuing New Year’s Day celebrations. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

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Hotel guest Mike Zabinski said he heard 8 to 10 loud pops but assumed they were part of continuing New Year’s Day celebrations.

“I was awakened by several shots, which I presumed were firecrackers, and I went back to bed,” Zabinski told AJC.com.

He said his family woke up Wednesday to find police officers in the elevator and more investigators in the hotel lobby.

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