An Alabama man is facing capital murder charges after a Roswell couple was tragically shot and killed in Etowah County, as details continue to emerge about the incident which occurred on Tuesday; Michael McKenzie, 72, was found dead at the scene and his wife, Darla McKenzie, 68, later died at a Birmingham medical facility according to the Etowah County Sheriff's Office.
Law enforcement quickly zeroed in on a suspect named Christopher Scott Johnson, 38, who was apprehended and charged; FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the evidence collected at the scene and the information from the 911 calls dispatched to deputies were key in his rapid identification and subsequent arrest.
While the connection between the victims and the suspect remains unclear, Etowah County Sheriff Jonathan Horton has expressed condolences to the victims' family, in a statement reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, Sheriff Horton said, "This is an incredibly difficult time for the McKenzie family, and our hearts go out to them," and assured the community that there is no further threat to public safety.
Collaboration between multiple agencies was noted in this tragic event — the Coats Bend, Hokes Bluff, Ball Play Bend, and Glencoe Fire Departments; AMED Ambulance Service; Survival Flight; and police departments from Steele, Ashville, Rainbow City, Glencoe, and Gadsden were all involved in the response, alongside the Jacksonville State Center for Applied Forensics, this collaboration was highlighted in coverage by WVTM13.
