In the quiet, rural setting of Rome, Georgia, the lives of a beloved elderly couple came to a violent and tragic end in January of 2015. James Steven Reeves, a 69-year-old male, and his 71-year-old wife, Myra Wilson Reeves, were found deceased in their Terhune Road home on the afternoon of Friday, January 23rd. A neighbor, concerned after noticing a broken screen door, made the grim discovery and immediately contacted law enforcement. The couple, described by those who knew them as wonderful people and grandparents, had both been shot to death.
The initial investigation by the Floyd County Police, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, left the community on edge as authorities worked to piece together the events that led to the double homicide. For weeks, there were no public leads on a suspect, and the motive for the brutal crime remained a mystery. The case was particularly personal for Floyd County Police Chief Bill Shiflett, who described the victims as close family friends. The uncertainty came to an end on February 24, 2015, when investigators announced the arrest of Emerson Mack Abbott Jr., a 27-year-old who lived just a couple of miles from the Reeves' residence.
Emerson Mack Abbott Jr. was initially charged with two counts of murder. However, a May 2015 indictment by a Floyd County grand jury expanded the gravity of his alleged crimes, charging him with two counts of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of burglary, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated battery, and one count each of armed robbery, theft by deception, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime.
In April 2018, Abbott stood trial and was found guilty on all counts. Evidence presented during the trial painted a chilling picture of the crime. The prosecution revealed that the door leading into the home from the carport had been shot through. Inside, the home was otherwise in good order, suggesting a targeted attack rather than a random robbery gone wrong. A crucial piece of testimony came from a man who had been in a conversation with Abbott just two days after the murders. He recalled Abbott describing non-public details of the crime, stating that the killer had shot James in the chest, made Myra crawl to a back bedroom where she was shot, and then shot James again to ensure he was dead. Further incriminating statements were made by one of Abbott’s former jail cellmates, who testified that Abbott made comments suggestive of his involvement in the killings. Following his conviction, Abbott appealed, but the judgment was ultimately affirmed, solidifying his responsibility for the deaths of James and Myra Reeves.
