GBI: Union County Murder Suspect Died of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the Union County murder suspect involved in a shoot out with Cherokee Sheriff's deputies ended his own life last week in Holly Springs.

According to the Cherokee Ledger-News, Anthony Payne died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The Ledger confirmed with GBI Spokesman John Bankhead that Payne also received a gunshot wound to the arm when a Cherokee sheriff's deputy fired when the suspect did not drop his weapon. 

The GBI believes Payne, 34 of Blairsville shot and killed both of his parents, Charles Payne, age 59, and Louise Payne, age 67, at their home on Nottley Dam Road in Blairsville.

The GBI's regional office in Cleveland last Thursday received a call from Union County Sheriff Mack Mason asking to help in the case when the bodies of the elder Paynes were discovered at their home.

GBI authorities discovered the Payne's 2005 Ford F-150 pick-up truck was missing from the home and they later determined by an investigation that Payne was the suspect in his parents' murder. 

Authorities received information that Payne may have been located at a residence 790 Swan Lake near Holly Springs, so the GBI notified the Cherokee Sheriff's Office to be on the look out for Payne, who they classified as "armed and extremely dangerous." 

Cherokee deputies later located Payne at the home and the suspect died in the confrontation with deputies. 

Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison has asked the GBI to investigate the deputy-involved shooting, which his currently ongoing from the GBI's regional office in Conyers. The GBI also continues to investigate the death of the Paynes from its Cleveland offices.

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