In a tragic turn of events on a Saturday evening in Rock Spring, Georgia, 79-year-old Eugene 'Jack' Denny, a male, was killed in a violent encounter that also claimed the life of his daughter. The incident, which unfolded on March 8, 2025, has been identified by authorities as a murder-suicide.
The Walker County Sheriff's Office reported that Russell David Payne, 54, of Marietta, went to the Wood Station Road home where his estranged wife, 54-year-old Jacklyn D.
Payne, was living with her father, Eugene Denny. Payne, armed with a. 223 caliber rifle, fired multiple shots into the back of the house before forcing his way inside and continuing his deadly assault.
Both Eugene Denny and his daughter, Jacklyn Payne, were fatally wounded at the scene. A longtime family friend and off-duty Chickamauga police officer, 52-year-old Charles 'Chuck' Dunn, was also inside the home at the time of the attack. Dunn engaged the shooter but was critically injured in the process. He was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation concluded that Russell David Payne died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the total number of deceased to four. Authorities have described the incident as stemming from a domestic dispute between Russell and Jacklyn Payne. Due to the death of the perpetrator, there were no arrests made in connection with the killings.
