In what authorities have described as a domestic argument turned deadly, Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett, a 49-year-old female, was fatally shot in her Suwanee, Georgia, home. The incident, which also resulted in injury to her teenage son, unfolded on a Saturday evening, shattering the peace of the Villages of Shakerag subdivision.
Forsyth County deputies responded to a 911 call from a neighbor after Tuitt-Bartlett's injured teenage son fled the residence and sought help. Upon their arrival, deputies discovered Tuitt-Bartlett deceased in an upstairs bedroom. Her son was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition. The ensuing investigation quickly identified her 43-year-old boyfriend, Eric Sumner of Suwanee, as the suspect.
Following the shooting, Sumner fled the scene. He was later apprehended by Monroe County deputies after a brief chase on I-75. Sumner was taken into custody and faced multiple charges, including murder and two counts of aggravated assault with the intent to commit murder. He was being held in the Forsyth County Jail without bond. Court records indicate that Tuitt-Bartlett had previously sought a restraining order against Sumner in April, citing his increasingly violent and aggressive behavior. In the filing, she mentioned an instance where her son had called 911 during one of their arguments out of fear for his and his mother's safety.
Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett had served as a Master Deputy with the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office for nearly two decades. Her death was a profound loss to her family, friends, and the law enforcement community where she was respected for her dedication and compassion. Tragically, this was not the first time the family had experienced a devastating loss. Four years prior, Tuitt-Bartlett's 23-year-old son, Richard Bartlett III, was killed in a hit-and-run crash on McGinnis Ferry Road. The driver in that incident was never apprehended.
