Community remembers beloved music teacher killed in carjacking

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News is learning more about a man who was killed Saturday night in a carjacking in Sandy Springs.

Justin Hess is charged not only with killing his mother Saturday night, but also killing a beloved music teacher who investigators said was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

People who knew Bill Haynes, 53, are reeling from word of his death Saturday night.

Sandy Springs police said Hess stabbed Haynes to death at a Roswell Road storage facility, likely because he wanted the Audi S5 convertible that Haynes was driving.

"You hate to think that's what it may have been about, but it's a shiny red car, and a shiny red car gets anyone's attention,” Capt. Michael Lindstrom said.

Police said Hess shot his mother, Carol Ann Hess, 61, to death earlier Saturday in the Marietta townhouse that they shared.

A SWAT team took Hess into custody on Sunday shortly after he returned to the home in Haynes' stolen car, police said.

"That was probably the best feeling for us is that we now know where he is -- he's not going to hurt anybody now,” Lindstrom said.

Those who knew and loved Haynes, the director of the Alpharetta City Band and a teacher at Atlanta's E. Rivers Elementary struggled to come to grips with the loss.

"If somebody had said give me your car keys, he would've given them the car keys,” program supervisor for The Alpharetta City Band, Don Nahser, said. "He would go out of his way to help you."

TRENDING STORIES:

• Dog found nearly starved to death in home
• Teen who 'disappeared' from Alpharetta party found dead in nearby lake
• Postal worker accused of dumping mail arrested

Cox Media Group