Monday, August 23, 2010

Albany, GA: Family ties link two murder-suicides

Posted: Aug 23, 2010 7:12 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 23, 2010 7:12 AM EDT

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – There's new information in that Worth county murder suicide over the weekend. Turns out, the victims, Billy and Sarah Miller, are related to Ronald and Bobbie Cox. If you remember Ronald Cox killed himself and his wife in Ft. Gaines exactly one month ago.

It's a bizarre family tragedy. Investigators say Billy Miller killed his wife Sarah and then himself Saturday night. And last month, Ronald and Bobbie Cox of Albany also died in a similar murder suicide at their vacation home.

How are the couples connected? Their children. The Miller's son is married to the Cox's daughter. Now both their parents are gone and no one understands why.

Neither investigators nor family members can say for sure what led 68-year-old Billy Miller to kill his wife, 66-year-old Sarah Miller, then take his own life at their Worth county home Saturday night, August 21st.

And here's the ironic twist. Exactly one month prior on July 21st, Miller's son's wife's parents, his in-laws committed an eerily similar act of violence.

Investigators say Ronald Cox shot and killed his wife, himself and their dog at their vacation home in Ft.Gaines after the couple was having financial problems. Now the Miller-Cox family is dealing with the loss of two sets of grandparents. And the family murder suicide cases just keep adding up.

Just three weeks ago in Grady county Marquis Simpson shot 31-year-old Lacretia Simpson multiple times in front of their kids then shot himself in the head.

And in Early county on July 17th Blakely man Matt Justice shot his wife, son, daughter and himself. The only survivor is his 11-year-old daughter Emily.

Four families forever changed in just one month's time.

We talked to people who know the Miller's son and wife, Matt and Denise Miller, and they say the couple is turning to God in this time of heartache and counting on friends and family support and a lot of prayer to get them through this.

The Miller's bodies will sent to the crime lab in Macon for autopsies. The GBI is investigating.

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