GRANTVILLE, Ga. — A College Park man accused of shooting and killing three people at a Grantville gun range last weekend had once lived in the area and shopped at the store, police said Monday.
Jacob Christian Muse, 21, was arrested in the shooting deaths of 75-year-old Thomas Richard Hawk Sr., his 75-year-old wife, Evelyn Hawk, and their 18-year-old grandson, Luke Hawk.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Hawk Sr. and his wife owned the Lock, Stock & Barrel Shooting Range in Grantville, Coweta County.
The family was murdered on April 8 and investigators determined that the shooter had stolen more than 40 guns and also disabled cameras at the business.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Hawk family will pray for ‘redemption’ of man accused of killing 3 in Grantville gun store robbery
- UPDATE: Police arrest suspect in Grantville triple homicide
- ‘God is in control of this.’ Son, father of 3 killed at gun range says faith is getting family by
Muse was arrested at a home in College Park on April 15. Investigators found stolen handguns and long guns inside Muse’s home.
Muse was charged with three counts of malice murder.
Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach spoke to someone who lived with the suspect
His housemate Darron Moore said Muse worked nights and did see him recently with many guns, that he told him were left to him by his grandparents who had collection of firearms.
“He had them in the back of his truck, just laying out there in the open. Wasn’t like he was trying to hide anything,” Moore said.
It’s still unknown how police zeroed in on Muse, but the investigation led to him and serving a search warrant.
The ATF confirmed many of the guns found matched ones stolen during the robbery and murders.
Moore said besides a girlfriend, Muse never hung out with friends or a group, stayed to himself, but Moore never thought he could be dangerous or violent.
“I spoke with him almost every day and never felt threatened by him,” he said.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation have determined that Muse formerly lived in Grantville and was a customer at the shooting range. He had bought at least one gun from the business and spent time there on the firing range, agents said.
It’s unclear if the Hawk family had a direct relationship with Muse.
So far, Muse is the only person who has been arrested, but Grantville Police say that is subject to change.
Tommy and Evelyn Hawk had run Lock, Stock & Barrel and had been a part of the small, tight-knit community for nearly 30-years. Their grandson Luke was on spring break from high school, helping his grandparents at the shop.
Luke Hawk’s father, Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk, found the bodies of his family.
It’s unclear if Muse will face any more charges.
Gehlbach spoke over the phone to someone at the security company Muse worked for up until his arrest and was told Muse had been there less than a month. Their security guards are not armed, and he wasn’t working or on duty that night of the robbery and murders.
©2022 Cox Media Group
