One alabama The mother and her underweight son were shot dead in what officials are calling a suspected double murder-suicide, allegedly carried out by the woman’s boyfriend during an overnight domestic dispute.
Representatives from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of shootings in the 8700 block of Charlottes Drive at 3 a.m. Thursday.
Witnesses at the scene said Darrin Patton Jr., 34, likely shot his girlfriend, Derica McGhee, 29, inside the couple’s home, which he shared with the woman’s son from a previous relationship, eight-year-old Aiden Williams. .
A SWAT team was called in and, accompanied by Patton, entered the residence to find the mother and child dead from gunshot wounds.
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Darrin Patton Jr. (left), 34, is suspected of shooting his girlfriend, 29-year-old Derica McGhee, and her son, Aiden, 8 (pictured together, right), before firing a gun at themselves
The double murder-suicide occurred early Thursday during a domestic dispute at the family’s home in the 8700 block of Charlottes Drive in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Responding to SWAT officials, two adults and children were found dead at home
Family members of victims, including McGhee’s father, Tommy Sanders (far left) are pictured comforting each other
Tuscaloosa Violent Crime Unit Captain Jack Kennedy said: “All indications point to the suspect killing both the victims and then himself.” al.com.
It is unknown at this time as to what may have happened to the couple’s night-time argument that led to the fatal shooting.
Tuscaloosa Batman Baseball, where Aiden was a player, shared a smiling photo of the boy with a condolence message on his death on Facebook.
‘Our Batman family has received devastating news this morning. Our #27, forever part of our Batman family,’ the post read. ‘You were one of a kind. Your laugh was infectious and would brighten up any room. On the ball field, you were top notch. You had a lot ahead of you.
Family and friends have flooded Facebook with messages expressing their shock and disappointment.
Aiden Williams was a member of the Tuscaloosa Batman baseball team, described as a ‘top notch’ player. Aiden was McGhee’s child from a previous relationship
‘I hate everything about this. My heart is completely broken right now, I don’t even know how in the world can this happen to you!!!’ McGhee’s cousin D’Metria Gipson wrote.
Gipson described Aiden as the best-mannered and well-behaved child, and said of his mother that ‘to know her was to love her.’
She continued: ‘To be in his presence was sure to get you the laughs of life!! God I have so many questions… Derica M, you both didn’t deserve it!!’
Other loved ones emphasized that McGhee was a great mother who loved her son.
McGhee’s father Tommy Sanders gave an emotional interview wvuarevealed that her daughter was a US Navy veteran and currently works at a VA hospital.
According to her LinkedIn page, McGhee served as a supply and logistics specialist in the Navy for four years before retiring in 2014.
Over the past five years, she worked as a medical support assistant at Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
McGhee was a US Navy veteran who worked as a medical assistant at a VA facility in Tuscaloosa to support Aidan.
Friends and family described the 29-year-old mom-of-one as a kind-hearted parent, and Aiden a fun-loving but well-mannered and intelligent boy.
Sanders said her daughter was an “amazing” mother whose life revolved around her son.
The father said, ‘For a young man like her age, she’s an excellent mom, super mom, I’ll call her that.
Sanders said his grandson was “the life of the party,” loved running and dancing on TikTok, and enjoyed playing Uno with them.
“He was a blessing to me because he keeps me young,” Sanders sobbed. ‘I miss her. I really miss him.’
34-year-old man shot 29-year-old girlfriend and her eight-year-old son in murder-suicide – Henry Club
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