Lafayette, Georgia – Funeral arrangements have been set for the victims of a tragic murder-suicide that occurred in Walker County over the weekend. Jack Denny and his daughter, Jacklyn “Jackie” Payne, will be honored with visitations and services to commemorate their lives.
Friends and family will have the opportunity to pay their respects during a visitation at Wilson Funeral Home in Lafayette on Friday, March 14, followed by another visitation at Center Grove Baptist Church in Rock Spring on Saturday, March 15. The funeral service will then take place at the church to honor the lives of Denny and Payne.
The devastating incident involved Denny, Payne, and another victim, Charles “Chuck” Dunn, a Chickamauga police officer who was off-duty at the time of the shooting. Dunn sustained critical injuries and remains hospitalized.
According to investigators, the murder-suicide was carried out by Jacklyn’s husband, Russell Payne, who took his own life after fatally shooting Denny and Payne. The tragic event unfolded at Eugene Denny’s residence, where the victims were located.
The shooter, identified as Russell David Payne, was believed to be estranged from his wife, Jacklyn, at the time of the incident. Authorities responded to the scene on Wood Station Road after reports of gunfire were made around 7:00pm.
As the community reels from this senseless tragedy, the lone survivor is undergoing surgery at a nearby hospital. The Walker County Coroner will oversee the transport of the bodies for further examination at the GBI crime lab.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson confirmed the deaths of three individuals, including the shooter, in what appears to be a tragic murder-suicide. The community mourns the loss of lives and awaits further updates on the investigation into this heartbreaking event.