In the early morning hours in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a domestic dispute escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 45-year-old Melissa Kelly. Responding to a 5:40 a.m. call regarding a shooting, Gwinnett County police arrived at a home on Bridgewalk Drive to a grim scene. Inside, they discovered both Melissa and her 53-year-old husband, Alton Kelly, with critical gunshot wounds.
Both were rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center, but Melissa Kelly succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. Alton Kelly, who had turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide attempt, remained in critical condition. Investigations into the events of that morning revealed a history of domestic turmoil, with police having been called to the couple's residence twice in the days leading up to the fatal shooting for verbal arguments.
The investigation determined that Alton Kelly was the aggressor, and authorities issued warrants for his arrest. He was charged with felony murder for the death of his wife and four counts of aggravated assault. The additional assault charges stemmed from allegations that after shooting Melissa, he went downstairs and fired into a room where other family members, including a married couple and their son, were located. Fortunately, no one else in the home was physically harmed.
Following his release from the hospital, Alton Kelly was to be taken into custody at the Gwinnett County Jail to face the charges against him. The incident left the family and community grappling with the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
