On a tragic day in April 2018, the life of 22-year-old Avery Pierce Gaines of Ringgold, Georgia, was cut short. He was a young man remembered for his loving and gentle spirit, someone who found joy in making others smile and was always ready to offer a kind word or a warm hug. His life was taken in a violent act that also claimed the life of his friend's mother.
In the early morning hours of April 8, 2018, in a home in East Ridge, a town on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Gaines
was shot and killed as he slept on the living room floor. The person responsible for this act was his 23-year-old friend, Casey Lawhorn. After killing Gaines, Lawhorn also shot and killed his own mother, Vi Lawhorn.
Following the double homicide, Casey Lawhorn fled the scene, sparking a multi-state manhunt. Before he disappeared, Lawhorn called 911, admitting to the shootings and stating his intention to take his own life. He also left a detailed and chilling confession on his Facebook page, which has since been removed. In this post, he took full responsibility for his actions and provided a step-by-step account of the killings. The search for Lawhorn ended when his vehicle was found on an interstate in Jasper County, Mississippi. Authorities later discovered his body in the nearby area; he had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Consequently, there were no arrests, trials, or convictions in the murders of Avery Gaines and Vi Lawhorn.
