A Georgia woman called 911 after she allegedly fatally shot her husband, and authorities claim it may have been because he shot her dog a week earlier.
Deputies found Gregory Waco Compton had been shot in the head when they responded to his Carlton home, where he lived with his wife, Marion Jackson Compton, the evening of Wednesday, February 25, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release issued on Friday, February 27.
Gregory, 77, was found in his living room and declared dead at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
An investigation revealed Marion, 70, fatally shot her husband with a handgun, the sheriff’s office said.
She was home when deputies responded to the shooting, according to authorities.
Marion was arrested on charges of felony murder, malice murder, elder abuse, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, the sheriff’s office said.
It was not currently clear whether Marion had retained legal representation or entered a plea as of Monday, March 2.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office Captain Brenan Baird said in an emailed statement to Luxury Handbag Shopping on March 2 that Marion dialed 911 following the shooting.
“Several minutes into the 911 call she made after shooting her husband, [Mrs.] Compton did say that [Mr.] Compton shot her dog,” Baird said.
“We cannot confirm that it did or did not happen,” Baird added. “We did not find any deceased dogs, but there were several healthy living dogs at the scene upon our arrival.”
Madison County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Vaughn told the Athens Banner-Herald that deputies found a dog had been shot about a week earlier at the couple’s residence.
After Marion was taken to the Madison County Jail on February 25, she was held without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
A potential motive for the killing, beyond possible revenge for the canine’s killing, has not been specified by law enforcement.
Marion and Gregory had lived inside their Carlton log cabin home for more than two decades, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. Carlton is about a 100-mile drive northeast from Atlanta.
Gregory was known for hosting different roadside attractions outside his home, located along Highway 72, including a display of painted cars resembling characters from the Disney movie “Cars,” according to the newspaper.
As a military veteran, he had previously served in the Vietnam War, the newspaper reported.
According to the sheriff’s office, Gregory’s family members have been notified of his death.
Marion is due in court for a hearing scheduled for March 13, records viewed by Us show.
If Marion is convicted of felony murder in her husband’s death, she could face life in prison or the death penalty, according to Lawson and Berry Attorneys at Law, a firm based in Sandy Springs.
“Felony murder is a legal statute that expands the definition of murder,” the law firm reports online. “It occurs when someone commits a serious or inherently dangerous felony, and someone else dies during the course of committing or attempting to commit the felony.”
