Augusta, GA
Murder-suicides take grim toll: 4 lives in 14 hours
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – Community members are looking for answers after murder-suicides in Augusta and Aiken claimed four lives in 14 hours.
What do these cases have in common and what lessons do they hold?
The Aiken murder-suicide unfolded just before 11 a.m. Monday at the Murphy USA gas station at 3575 W. Richland Ave. – a sad echo of another murder-suicide the night before on Holden Drive in Augusta.
The victim was identified as 43-year-old Tiffany Britt, and the shooter was her husband, 55-year-old George Britt. They were from Augusta.
In Aiken, witnesses said a man approached a woman, and they were yelling.
“I looked at her and I could see that she knew that … she knew that this was it for her,” said Gloria Smith, a witness. “She didn’t try to put up a fight no more. She didn’t – she just didn’t do nothing.”
The witness said she and others were at the gas pumps while the incident unfolded.
“I told everybody that we need to move back because it was like three other gentlemen and I said we need to move back because he has a gun in his pocket and it’s right at her stomach,” said Smith.
The man was asking her something.
“All she could say was, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what you’re talking about,’” said Smith.
The witness heard the police sirens after she called 911.
“And then the next thing you know, I heard him say, ‘All right,’ and then he shot her,” said Smith.
An off-duty deputy was getting gas when he saw what was happening and tried to intervene.
“He was getting ready to run, but that gentleman caught him and they was tussling and gunshots were just going off – about 12 of them just going off, then all of a sudden, it stopped,” said Smith. “Then the next gunshot you heard was him shooting himself in the head.”
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“I’m emotionally all over the place,” said Smith. “I want to cry now, but I’m doing everything I can not to.”
The shooter died on the scene and the victim died at Aiken Regional Medical Center, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables.
They will be autopsied Wednesday in Newberry, according to Ables.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is handling the investigation.
In Augusta, 41-year-old Rebecca Williams was fatally shot Sunday night by her husband, Michael Williams, 43, who then killed himself, according to authorities. That incident happened around 9 p.m. at their home in the 1200 block of Holden Drive.
Both were pronounced dead at 9:50 p.m.
Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen said autopsies have been scheduled.
The murder-suicides are among about 600 that happen every year in the U.S.
A 2022 analysis published by the FBI found 65% of murder-suicides involve intimate partners, and 81% happen in the home. When partners are involved, more than half of the killers have a history of domestic conflict.
Most murder-suicides involve one killer and one victim, but not always, according to the analysis. Children are sometimes victims, but most are adults.
Guns are the main weapon used.
Beyond that, there are other patterns, according to the FBI.
Murder-suicides are overwhelmingly carried out by white men, especially older ones. From 2003 to 2005, statistics show 91.4% of murder-suicides were committed by males, 97.6% were committed by people over age 19 and 77% were committed by people identified as white.
Experts aren’t sure whether the main goal is murder, suicide or something else, but these factors are often at play:
- A negative dynamic like abuse, infidelity or a perceived injustice in the relationship between the killer and victim.
- A sense of obligation toward the victim, like protecting them from the stigma or shame of a planned suicide or the hurtful consequences of something the killer has done.
- The killer’s intent to relieve the victim of suffering due to illness or disability.
As for how to prevent murder-suicides, the FBI has no clear answer. But one approach may be to take some cues from efforts to prevent suicide.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
86-year-old Augusta woman dies in Walton Way crash
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An 86-year-old Augusta woman died after a two-vehicle crash Saturday night at the intersection of Walton Way and 7th Street.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the crash around 9:50 p.m.
A preliminary investigation found a vehicle traveling west on Walton Way attempted to turn left onto 7th Street and entered the path of an eastbound vehicle traveling through the intersection. The two vehicles collided.
The Richmond County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Carolyn Fletcher, 86, of Augusta. Fletcher was a passenger in the eastbound vehicle and was taken by EMS to Wellstar MCG Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:41 p.m.
An autopsy has been scheduled.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Division is continuing to investigate the crash.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
BREAKING: Parents of missing 4-year-old arrested, child believed to be deceased
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Augusta, GA
Augusta Museum of History offers free America 250 exhibits this weekend
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Museum of History is hosting a series of exhibits tied to America’s 250th anniversary, including a LEGO display featuring notable moments in American and Augusta history.
The LEGO exhibit includes a bald eagle and a replica of Atlanta’s Capitol, among other items. A separate special exhibit is located in another wing of the museum, and smaller exhibits are displayed throughout the building.
Nancy Glaser, executive director of the Augusta Museum of History, said the goal is for visitors to leave with an appreciation for the country and a positive experience.
“How great America is, probably more than anything,” Glaser said. “A big smile on their face that they had a good time. It’s fun. It’s just fun. We want people to enjoy themselves when they’re here. So it’s just not about our train and not just about Augusta history, which is important, but it’s about the bigger picture. And that’s one of the things that we’re able to present right now.”
The America 250 exhibits are free to view this weekend.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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