A man was taken into custody on murder charges Tuesday after three people were shot dead at a Cobb County home near Austell, police said.
Marcus Smith, 37, is accused of killing his mother, 60-year-old Janice Peaks, his stepfather, 63-year-old Donnell Peaks, and a cousin, 38-year-old Cameron King, at Smith’s home on Gardner Street. Investigators believe the shooting resulted from a domestic dispute, according to Cobb police.
Authorities were called to the home off Factory Shoals Road about 12:30 p.m. and found the victims with gunshot wounds, police spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk said. Donnell and Janice Peaks were pronounced dead at the scene, and King died shortly after arriving at Grady Memorial Hospital.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Donnell Peaks was shot in the head and legs. His wife and King were both shot in the head. Delk said King and Smith were first or second cousins.
It was not clear if all three victims lived with Smith, but jail records list the Gardner Street home as his primary address.
Police located Smith on Tuesday not far from the home, and he was arrested. He is being held without bond in the Cobb jail on three counts each of felony murder and aggravated assault.
It was not clear what the family argued over prior to the shooting, but Smith’s arrest warrant indicates the dispute was both verbal and physical in nature. Delk said Wednesday there were no other suspects involved.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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