Woman Escaping Attacker Falls To Death After Husband, 4-Year-Old Son Fatally Shot

An American couple and their young son were found dead in Georgia and a man was detained in this connection Saturday. The man confessed to police that he fatally shot the father and the son and when the woman attempted to escape from the scene, she fell into a ravine and died.

The officers of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Police Department detained the 19-year-old man on charges of “premeditated murder of a minor under aggravating circumstances knowingly by two or more persons,” which entails life imprisonment. His name has not been released yet.

The interior ministry of Georgia announced that the police received a missing report of two individuals who have dual citizenships of Georgia and the United States and their 4-year-old son on July 6. The caller said the family was in the Khada gorge and they couldn't be contacted.

On the same day, the body of the wife, Lora Smith, was found in a ravine near a waterfall by the rescuers of the Emergency Situations Management Agency. Initial examination suggested no signs of violence on the body. The body of Ryan Smith was found near the same area the following day. The body of the child was found on Saturday, following the detained person's confession.

The Interior Ministry of Georgia said an investigation was launched on charges of negligent manslaughter but was later changed to premeditated murder.

“He left the murdered man in the scene while the body of a minor was hidden in an avalanche by him,” a statement by the Interior Ministry of Georgia said.

Officials said the murder was a result of a dispute between the accused, who was a shepherd, and Ryan on July 4. The family were living in Marneuli region in Georgia for the past six years and received dual citizenships in 2012.

Ryan moved to Georgia from California in 2011 and started a company that creates handcrafted woven carpets. His wife taught English through a Georgian government program and the family was planning to open a kindergarten soon, Fox News reported.

In May, three people of a family were shot dead in their house in Florence County, South Carolina. Two other injured members were airlifted to a nearby hospital. In this connection, Antwain Adams of Bishopville was charged with three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

"Totally shocked. Couldn't believe this actually happened. The nicest people in the world too," John Rice who lived next door to the family said adding he did not hear any gunshots, local daily ABC 15 reported.

In April, three members of a family were killed following a dispute over parking space in India’s capital New Delhi.

“They had about 18 cars and the fight over who would park where was a major problem. Who owns what part of the property was an issue they fought over often. They wanted each other to vacate the premises. The enmity increased over the years,” Satnam Singh, the elder brother of the deceased, said.