A couple with Arkansas roots died in a murder-suicide in west Georgia hours before they were scheduled to appear in court for divorce proceedings Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Jeffery and Lora Gilbert, both 26, were found dead in the backyard of a home in Columbus, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said.
According to Bryan, Jeffery Gilbert had traveled from Arkansas to Georgia with his mother for the court appearance. He reportedly dropped his mother off at a motel Monday, saying he was buying a suit.
Instead, Bryan said, Gilbert purchased a gun and went to Lora Gilbert's residence. He texted his mother that things were "fine" about 4:30 p.m., according to the coroner.
Jeffery Gilbert's mother called Columbus police for a welfare check on the residence Tuesday morning when her son had not returned to the motel, Bryan said.
An autopsy determined that Jeffery Gilbert shot Lora Gilbert, then himself.
The pair had been married for about seven years, according to Bryan. Both were reportedly from Arkansas. A search of voter records shows that Lora Gilbert once lived in Ozark in Franklin County.
