WAYCROSS — A 55-year-old Waycross man has been arrested and charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his mother and her husband.
Bernard Rittenhouse has been arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder and one count of burglary, in connection to the deaths of Charles M. Barnett and Virginia D. Thomas.
He was taken to the Ware County Jail on July 12, 2022.
A relative made a 911 call at 8:49 a.m. saying Charles M. Barnett, age 75, and Virginia D. Thomas, age 73, were found dead at their home on Lakeview Drive in Waycross.
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According to the GBI, deputies arrived and found the couple dead from gunshot wounds.
This investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Ware County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 287-4326 or the GBI Douglas Office at (912) 389-4103. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online,or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
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