DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris reported the deaths of two individuals from the Dogtown community after an apparent murder-suicide.
According to Harris, his office received a missing person report on Monday around 10:00 p.m filed for Felicia Ann Lindsey, 54, of Fort Payne and her nephew, Max Ruben Zeller, 22. Police found Lindsey’s vehicle in Cherokee County, Georgia and requested Cherokee County officers help search for the missing people.
Officers found Zeller while searching a mobile home near Canton, GA. He ran into a bedroom of a mobile home and shot himself, according to Harris. Zeller was transported to a hospital in Marietta where he died on Tuesday morning. He had been in possession of a pistol, cell phone, and Jeep belonging to Lindsey.
DeKalb County investigators searched Lindsey’s residence to try to find clues about where she was. Sheriff Harris said investigators found evidence there that a crime had taken place, and found her body in the crawl space under the home.
Lindsey’s autopsy indicated that she died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to Harris. A follow-up investigation indicated that Zeller killed Lindsey and attempted to clean the scene before fleeing to Georgia in her vehicle, according to Harris.
The investigation into the events of the murder are ongoing.
“This is a terrible tragedy for everyone concerned. The Lindsey family is well-respected in our community and this is just unthinkable,” said Sheriff Harris. “To lose a daughter and a grandson in this manner is just more than you can imagine. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends at this time.”
“Felicia had classmates who work for me and they all told me what a sweet, shy girl she was,” the sheriff added. “She spent most of her life helping and taking care of others. That is what we need to remember.”