Macon Teen Murders Ex-Girlfriend, Kills Self

From Macon.com:

Family members say 17-year-old Shenerica Brown enjoyed listening to music, dancing and hanging out with friends, much like other teenage girls.

An 11th-grade student at Washington County High School in Sandersville, Brown wanted to be a registered nurse after graduation, said Nastacia Taylor, Brown's cousin and friend.

Brown's plans were cut short Sunday morning when her ex-boyfriend, 19-year-old Ardavius Foster, fatally shot her and then turned the gun on himself.

"They had been having domestic problems for quite a while," said Washington County Sheriff Thomas Smith.

Brown's family said the couple had a 4-month-old daughter, Ardasia Foster.

Late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, Foster went to Brown's great-aunt's house at 156 Mayview Drive and the two argued, Smith said.

Smith said deputies aren't sure what Brown and Foster argued about, but they previously had engaged in arguments about visitation with Ardasia.

During the argument, Foster took the baby to his car where he retrieved a .45 caliber pistol, Smith said.

Brown followed Foster outside where the two continued to argue until Foster fired two shots at Brown hitting her in the chest and face, Smith said.

He then turned the gun on himself, firing a single shot into his head, Smith said.

Brown's great-aunt and two other people witnessed the shooting and called deputies about 12:15 a.m., Smith said.

Washington County Coroner E.K. May said Brown and Foster were taken to the hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Taylor said Brown ended her relationship with Foster about two weeks ago.

Foster showed up with a gun at the Sonic Drive In where Brown worked last week and threatened her, she said.

"He said if she ever tried to leave him he'd kill her and kill himself," Taylor said.

Smith said murder-suicides are uncommon in Washington County, especially ones with such young victims.

"It's very, very rare," he said. "Our prayers go out to both families. Both families are really suffering."

Funeral services for Brown will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at The Word of Life Ministries in Sandersville. Services for Foster are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Marshall Grove Baptist Church in Sandersville.

So far this year, 34 people in Georgia have died in 18 murder-suicide incidents, according to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.