A 17-year-old boy in Georgia has been charged with murdering his grandmother inside a church in Monroe County, in what authorities have described as a “tragedy of the worst kind.”
Police said the victim, 73-year-old Ollie Hamilton, was found dead on Wednesday evening at Smith Chapel Holiness Church in Athens, Monroe County.
Officers responded to a 911 call around 5:45 p.m. and discovered her body in a hallway leading to the church kitchen, according to county coroner Alan Gurley.
Her grandson, 17-year-old Jadynn Hamilton, was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly confessing to the killing. Sheriff Kevin Crook told reporters that as the investigation progressed, evidence began pointing toward the teenager, who had initially sought help after the attack.
“This is a tragedy of the worst kind,” Crook said. “You’ve got a beloved church member, family member and community member killed, and then you find out she was killed by another beloved family member.”
Crook added that the case should serve as a warning about unaddressed emotional and behavioural struggles among young people. “Try to learn from every tragedy,” he said. “Were there signs? Were there things we could have caught earlier? A lot of stuff happens among our youth that isn’t communicated.”
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing. Jadynn Hamilton is being held on a $500,000 bond.
