A sense of normalcy was shattered on a Friday evening in Newnan, Georgia, when 28-year-old Olivia Faith Robinson was found deceased. The incident, which occurred on September 20, 2024, unfolded at Oz Tactical, a local gun, knife, and ammunition store on East Court Square. Emergency services were dispatched to the location around 9:20 p.m. following calls that initially reported an unknown problem and were later updated to shots being fired. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Robinson inside the business with a fatal gunshot wound.
The investigation into the death of the Newnan native was quickly handed over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Their inquiry led to the identification of a suspect, William Brannon Owens, a 38-year-old man also from Newnan. It was later revealed that Owens was the owner of the gun store where Robinson's body was found and that the two had been in a dating relationship for several months. Owens was taken into custody and subsequently charged with aggravated assault and murder in connection with Robinson's death. He was then booked into the Coweta County Jail.
During the trial, evidence was presented that contradicted any claims of the death being a suicide. An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation concluded that Robinson's death was a homicide, noting that the fatal shot was fired from a distance of 12 to 18 inches. Forensic analysis of the firearm confirmed that the weapon used was Owens' Glock 19, which was later found in the same office where he had been sleeping.
Further details that emerged during the legal proceedings painted a grim picture of the night of the incident. Toxicology reports indicated that Owens was heavily intoxicated at the time of the shooting. A blood sample taken nearly eight hours after the event showed a blood alcohol content of. 157, suggesting his level of intoxication was likely three to four times the legal limit for operating a vehicle at the time of the fatal shot. The analysis also detected a significant amount of diazepam, the generic form of Valium, and other prescription drugs in his system. A teenage employee who was present at the store that night testified about Owens' behavior, stating that Owens had decided to sleep in the back office around 8 p.m. and had given the juvenile a handgun to wear while he managed the store. Ultimately, William Brannon Owens was convicted of the murder of Olivia Faith Robinson.
