In the late autumn of 2007, a family tragedy unfolded in Aiken, South Carolina, that ended the life of 46-year-old Elizabeth Beasley of Townville. On November 27, Elizabeth, her younger sister Anna Beasley Loebsack, 36, and a female friend were at a family home when a violent confrontation erupted. The source of the conflict was the impending divorce of Elizabeth's parents, a situation that had apparently pushed her 61-year-old father, Alton McCoy Beasley, to a breaking point.
Just an
hour after meeting with lawyers regarding the divorce, Alton Beasley arrived at the home in an agitated state. He confronted his wife, Willa, and his two daughters. In a sudden burst of violence, he shot Anna twice, killing her. He then turned the gun on Elizabeth's friend, wounding her. As Elizabeth attempted to flee the horrific scene, her father shot her twice as well, ending her life. Other family members present in the home, including Willa and the victims' grandparents, were left physically unharmed but witnessed the devastating events.
After murdering his two daughters and injuring their friend, Alton Beasley then took his own life. The incident was a murder-suicide, stemming from the domestic turmoil of the pending divorce. Investigators at the time suggested that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the deadly rampage. The friend who was shot during the incident was able to receive medical treatment at a hospital in Augusta, Georgia, and was subsequently released. The violent deaths of Elizabeth Beasley and her sister at the hands of their own father left their family and the community in a state of shock and grief.
