Cops: 80-year-old Villa Rica man fatally shoots wife of 55 years
An 80-year-old Carroll County man was arrested Thursday on multiple charges after calling 911 to report that he had shot his wife and planned to shoot himself, authorities said.
Donald Staley, of Villa Rica, was arrested just after midday after surrendering to Carroll deputies and a Georgia State Patrol trooper who responded to the 911 call, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Inside the home, located in the Fairfield Plantation golf and lake community, the responding officers found Judith Staley suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, the sheriff’s office said. She was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
According to the sheriff’s office, the Staleys had been married for 55 years.
Donald Staley was initially charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery, but the sheriff’s office said murder charges against him are pending. No further information has been released about the incident and it is not clear what led Donald Staley to allegedly shoot his wife.
Staley was booked into the Carroll County Jail, where he remains Friday without bond.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
