Flowery Branch murder-suicide: Adrian Gabriele Alexander shoots Mallory Jane Whitaker dead then self in front of couple’s 9 year old daughter as girl used FaceTime to call for help.
Georgia authorities have released the names of the victim and gunman in a weekend murder-suicide in Flowery Branch. The tragedy unfolded as their nine-year-old daughter hid in an upstairs closet and called for help.
Mallory Jane Whitaker, 50, of Gainesville, identified as the 9 year-old’s mother was shot and killed by her father, Adrian Gabriele Alexander, 51, of Flowery Branch, who then used the gun on himself. The murder-suicide unfolded as the 9-year-old girl ran upstairs and hid in a closet calling for help according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time of the gun violence, the child used FaceTime to reach a friend. That friend’s parents called 911, FOX5 reported. The girl was not physically hurt.
Flowery Branch murder-suicide
Deputies were called to the home on the 5400 block of Bushnell Court just before 3 p.m. Saturday, November 1. They found Whitaker dead near the doorway. Alexander was discovered in the basement with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound.
News of the domestic violence incident shocked neighbors of the well heeled community.
‘And we’re all kind of taken aback because, you know, it’s a really nice neighborhood. It’s super quiet. These kind of things are not normal for this neighborhood,’ neighbor Juan Jimenez told FOX5.
‘It’s so sad. There’s always an answer, but this is obviously not the way to go about it. Now there’s a kid that doesn’t have her parents and a community that’s just kind of confused and saddened by the events that took place.’
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Brandi Roberts of Flowery Branch started a GoFundme in support of the couple’s surviving 9-year-old daughter.
Fundraiser for 9-year-old surviving girl’s future launched
Read the fundraiser in part, ‘The tragedy has shocked and devastated our community. Many have reached out to see how they can help the 9-year-old survivor of domestic violence.
‘The family has agreed that the best way to help the daughter and honor her mother is to start a college fund for her future. The daughter is incredibly smart, and her mother always wanted her to grow up to be a famous scientist. In addition to her bright mind, this heartbreaking tragedy has also revealed her resilience, immeasurable strength, and bravery.
‘The ultimate goal is to surround her in stability, safety, and joy and allow the daughter the best chance at as normal a life as possible moving forward.’
The fundraiser as of Wednesday afternoon had reached $25,429.
The investigation remains active as detectives work to determine what led to the shooting. Authorities released the names after notifying out-of-state family members.
