Man Allegedly Kills Wife, Drives to Pregnant Girlfriend's House to Kill Her
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A man in Dalton, Georgia, allegedly killed his wife and girlfriend, who was pregnant, before fatally shooting himself.
The Dalton Police Department identified the suspected shooter as 37-year-old Kevin Andrew Akins in an information release sent to Newsweek.
The Context
Police said Kevin fatally shot his wife, 35-year-old Rebeca Nicole Akins, at her apartment in Dalton early Wednesday morning. Detectives found surveillance footage of Kevin Akins leaving that apartment around 6 a.m.
Then, he drove to his girlfriend Cindel Mae Rhoden's apartment, where he allegedly shot and killed the 33-year-old. Rhoden's family said in a GoFundMe that she was five months pregnant when she was killed.
Police said Akins fatally shot himself after killing his wife and girlfriend.
What To Know
On Friday, officers were called to Rebeca Akins' apartment around 6 p.m. after her coworkers reported that they hadn't seen or heard from her for several days. Officers found her deceased with an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Officers were able to trace Kevin's vehicle to Rhoden's apartment and were waiting for a search warrant when they saw Rhoden's father use a key to enter the home. He called 911 to report that he had found his daughter and another man dead inside the apartment.
Rhoden is survived by two young daughters, according to the GoFundMe.
Stock image: Police car lights at a crime scene investigation.
Stock image: Police car lights at a crime scene investigation.
Ajax9/Getty Images
Her aunt, Lynn Barker, spoke to Savannah news station WTOC about the immediate needs of the family.
"We would just like to have enough money to give her a burial she deserves, so those girls will have a place to go visit their mom," Barker said.
The family said the GoFundMe fundraiser will support funeral arrangements and the children.
"Cindel was in a relationship with a man who was married to his estranged wife and she fell victim of manipulation and in a devastating turn of events, he took the life of his wife, then drove to Cindel's home to kill her," the GoFundMe said.
What People Are Saying
Ashley Barker, GoFundMe organizer, on a fundraising page for Cindel Rhoden: "Cindel was more than just a victim of this tragedy she was kind, full of life, and a devoted mom doing her best for her girls. Her daughters are now in the care of family, but they need help."
Lynn Barker, Cindel Rhoden's aunt, told WTOC: "I know everybody judges. People speculate, and they're entitled to that. But as humans, don't lose compassion. There's a lot of lives that are devastated and broken. Nobody asked for this. Why it happened, we don't know."
What Happens Next
Dalton police said the investigation into the killings is ongoing. No motive for the shootings has been released.
Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Remains found in year-long search for missing family whose boat capsized off Alaska
Almost a year after the U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for a Texas family of four whose boat capsized off the coast of south-central Alaska, their vessel and human remains have been recovered, officials announced on Wednesday. The discovery was made possible after three private Alaskan companies volunteered their services in April, including the use of sonar equipment for underwater searches, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Earlier this month, they found the missing boat along with human remains in 180 feet (55 meters) of water in Kachemak Bay near Homer, the department said. Mapped: Kachemak Bay Divers from the state were then able to recover three sets of remains from the sunken vessel during dives on Tuesday and Wednesday. The remains have been taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office to perform autopsies and identify them, according to the public safety department. It did not say how long identifying the remains would take. The missing family from Troy, Texas, includes Mary Maynard, 37, and David Maynard, 42, along with sons Colton, 11, and Brantley, 8, according to the statement. A GoFundMe was launched for the family. The search for the family was launched in August after a report came in that a 28-foot (8.5-meter) aluminum boat carrying eight people had begun taking on water, the U.S. Coast Guard said at the time. The Coast Guard notified other ships in the area of the situation, and a boat nearby rescued four people. The Coast Guard scoured Kachemak Bay and Alaska search and rescue crews tried to use sonar equipment to find the family, according to the state's public safety department. But they were not successful and by the next evening, the search was suspended. Christi Wells, who provided a statement on behalf of Mary Maynard's parents at the time, said the family enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives, and traveling, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Mary Maynard was a traveling nurse and David Maynard stayed at home with the children and had a lawn care business, she said.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Reason Woman Dumps Fiancé After He Learns of Her Lottery Winnings Backed
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The internet is rallying behind a woman who ended her engagement after discovering her fiancé had kept a major secret—and then demanded a share of her lottery winnings. Redditor u/Amazing_Box_3511, 35, shared her story on the platform, explaining that she had been with her fiancé for two years. He had a good relationship with her 4-year-old son and even got along with her ex-husband. Three years ago, before she met her partner, she won the lottery. While it wasn't millions, it was enough to create a comfortable life and a secure future—especially for her son. She decided to continue working and put 75 percent of the winnings into a savings account for her child, accessible when he turns 21. From the beginning, her fiancé claimed he was financially secure. Still, she insisted on a prenuptial agreement that included full financial disclosure. That's when the problems began. "Now the amount in my son's savings account is about five times more than anything my fiancé has. Completely enraged, he left the lawyer's office and ignored all calls for two days. For me, that was the end of the relationship and I wrote to him saying that he could have the ring back," she wrote in the post, which has received more than 11,000 upvotes in the subreddit AITAH [Am I The A*****]. A week later, he reappeared at her door. He said he had been in shock and wanted to understand where the money had come from. Then came another bombshell: he revealed he had a 5-year-old daughter from a previous relationship—someone the woman had never heard of or seen photos of. "He sees it as justified, as I got the money through luck and not through performance. I gave him back the engagement ring and kicked him out of my apartment. Since then, I've been getting messages from various social media profiles and cell phone numbers that I would be the AH who is ruining his daughter's future," she wrote. Expert Insight Daren Banarsë, a senior psychotherapist with a private practice in Central London, weighed in with Newsweek. "I find the most psychologically damaging aspect of this case not to be the money dispute, rather the sudden revelation of a previously unknown daughter after two years of engagement. This is a fundamental breach of relationship transparency that questions the foundation of trust necessary for a healthy partnership," he said. He explained that hiding a child for two years is a "fundamental breach of relationship transparency" that undermines the foundation of trust. This kind of concealment, he said, can indicate either deep compartmentalization or deliberate deception—both red flags for any long-term relationship. Banarsë added that the man's demand to share lottery winnings, especially those earmarked for the woman's biological child, demonstrated "a sense of entitlement" and a potentially transactional view of relationships. He noted that while the fiancé may have believed his request was fair, it created an "impossible loyalty bind"—asking a mother to prioritize his secret daughter over her own son's future. A stock image of a concerned looking woman looking at a piece of paper. A stock image of a concerned looking woman looking at a piece of paper. Visions/iStock / Getty Images Plus "The woman's decision to end the engagement demonstrates remarkable emotional intelligence and healthy boundary-setting," Banarsë said. "Rather than compromise her integrity or her son's future, she recognized that some betrayals cannot be negotiated around." Renee Bauer, a divorce attorney at Happy Even After Family Law, agreed. She told Newsweek: "This situation is waving all of the red flags. First of all, this couple clearly did not have a conversation about money. When you blend families, it is important to talk about what happens with premarital assets. It's also important to consider a prenup to address this now, so it's not a problem later. Often, one person wants to protect assets for their children, because there is a very real concern that if they do not plan for it, their child could be cut out of an inheritance. "In this case, that relationship is doomed. The fact that a child was kept hidden gives some insight into what else was not disclosed. Broken trust is the demise of many marriages. "If that woman did not end her engagement, I predict, a messy divorce was in her future." Reddit Reacts Redditors overwhelmingly supported the woman's decision. "NTA. You did the right thing, breaking things off. Stay broken up. This dude will ruin your life otherwise," wrote one user. "I think he missed his calling as a telenovela screenwriter. 'but WAIT! I have a child TOO! Which means we should split your son's money. It's only fair...' And actually think that sounds believable. NTA," another added. "You are so smart! Had you not insisted on a prenup, his true character would have been revealed much later and potentially cost you so much financially," said a third. And another summed it up simply: "NTA, but also think it's a red flag he never mentioned a 'daughter' before." Newsweek reached out to u/Amazing_Box_3511 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case. Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@ We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Explosion Kills Russian Air Commander Who Lay Siege to Ukrainian City
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Major Zaur Gurtsiyev, who commanded Russian air operations during the brutal siege of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, was killed in an explosion in Russia's Stavropol. Russia's Investigative Committee named Gurtsiyev, 34, as one of the two male victims in the blast on Wednesday night, which they believe was caused by an improvised explosive device. "Investigators are considering all possible versions of the crime, including a terrorist act," the committee said in a post on Telegram. Gurtsiyev had also served as deputy mayor of Stavropol. "Of course, there are no words in the world that could ease the grief of our colleague's and comrade's relatives today. We mourn together as a team," Stavropol Mayor Ivan Ulyanchenko posted on Telegram. "We will provide all the necessary support to his family." This is a developing article and more information will be added soon.
