In the quiet community of Appling, Georgia, the life of 59-year-old Lizzy Williams, an African American woman, was tragically cut short on the night of April 22, 2016. She and her husband, 62-year-old Shelly Williams, were found deceased in their home on Washington Road, both victims of gunshot wounds. Their deaths were part of a horrifying series of events that shook the small town to its core.
The perpetrator was identified as 50-year-old Wayne Anthony Hawes.
The motive for the killings appeared to be rooted in a domestic dispute Hawes was having with his estranged wife. On that fateful evening, Hawes embarked on a violent rampage. Before arriving at the Williams' residence, he had already taken the lives of three other individuals at a home on Johnson Drive: 75-year-old Roosevelt Burns, 85-year-old Rheba Mae Dent, and 31-year-old Kelia Clark. It is believed that some of the victims were related to Hawes's wife.
Following the shootings, law enforcement launched an intensive search for Hawes. Their investigation led them to his home, where they made a grim discovery. Hawes was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene suggested he had attempted to set his house on fire before taking his own life. The tragic event marked the deadliest mass shooting in the history of Columbia County, leaving a lasting scar on the community.
