Family grieves after mother of 4 found shot dead in car, suspect arrested

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
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A family went around a neighborhood looking for answers after a mother of four was found shot to death.

They told Channel 2′s Veronica Griffin it was their relative who had been found dead outside an apartment complex in Clayton County.

Channel 2 Action News first brought you to the scene as breaking news Thursday when police swarmed the complex.

Police still haven’t released the name of the victim.

In spite of the police’s silence, the family of the victim wants us to know her name.

The family of 34-year-old Tonya White was out asking neighbors if they saw or heard anything that happened here on Thursday.

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“I appreciate them showing up and showing us love. We all (are) hurting together,” her brother Gregory White said.

The daughter, sister and mother of four children, ranging in age from 4 to 16, is being remembered as a kind and generous person.

Gregory told Channel 2 Action News his sister was shot and killed on Thursday in the parking lot at the Regal Forest Apartments on Trammell Road.

Clayton County police said they responded to the apartment complex around 11:29 a.m. on Sept. 22. They said the located a car sitting in the parking lot with both the victim and 40-year-old Jornel Williams in it.

When officers approached the car Williams refused to exit the car and still had a weapon in his possession.

Eventually officers were able to get Williams to put down the weapon and surrender.

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Clayton County investigators have not confirmed that White is the person found dead inside a car, but they did confirm the victim was found dead in the car from multiple gunshot wounds.

On Thursday, NewsChopper 2 flew over the complex and saw police tape surrounding the parking lot.

The family told Channel 2 Action News that’s exactly why they’re here to speak her name and tell her story.

“We just want to make sure that everybody out here in this neighborhood know that we love her and we care about her,” said Gregory.

The family of Tonya has set up a GoFundMe account for anyone wanting to help with expenses for her funeral.

Williams was arrested and charged will malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime.

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