A dentist from Georgia is facing a murder charge after allegedly shooting and killing her partner at their home.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to a
press release by the Hall County Sheriff's Office, investigators have charged a woman, Suzanne Renee Mericle, 61, with felony murder. Mericle allegedly shot and killed her partner, James David Barron, 68. Per the Sheriff's Office, authorities arrested Mericle on Saturday morning, March 8.Officers responded to a house call in the 4200 block of Bayridge Drive off C. Rogers Road in the early morning around 1:15 AM. They reportedly found Barron unresponsive in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to his torso. Mericle was also at the home when police arrived. Emergency Services transported Barron to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, but he was pronounced dead.
The Dentist And Victim Were In A Relationship
Per the press release, Mericle and Barron were in a relationship and even lived together. Early investigations allegedly indicate that Mericle shot Barron with a handgun. Alongside a felony murder charge, Mericle also faces a charge of aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. She is currently held in Hall County without bond.
Per a report by People, Suzanne Renee Mericle is a dentist who owns her own dental practice, Mericle Dentistry, on St Simons Island on the Georgia Coast. First Coast News reports that employees at the practice did not want to provide a statement, although Mericle's office remains open. Police have not revealed a motive, but the news outlet says the incident was a shock to many local residents.
We don't know anything about the events leading up to the shooting, although First Coast News highlights another recent encounter with police. Authorities reportedly arrested Mericle for an unrelated crime just a few weeks earlier. The dentist was charged with drunk driving and obstruction of an officer.
It remains unclear if Mericle has entered a plea or if an attorney is representing her. Per the press release by the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the case is still under investigation.
