Flowery Branch Murder-Suicide Leaves 9-Year-Old Girl Orphaned; Community Rallies to Support Child

 

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Authorities have released the identities of the mother and father involved in a weekend murder-suicide that occurred inside a Hall County home as the couple’s 9-year-old daughter hid upstairs and called for help.

According to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Mallory Jane Whitaker, 50, of Gainesville, was shot and killed by her husband, Adrian Gabriele Alexander, 51, inside their home on Bushnell Court on Saturday afternoon. Investigators say Alexander then turned the gun on himself.

During the shooting, the couple’s 9-year-old daughter ran to an upstairs closet and used FaceTime to contact a friend. The friend’s parents immediately dialed 911, leading deputies to respond to the residence just before 3 p.m.

Deputies found Whitaker deceased near the entrance of the home and Alexander dead in the basement from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The child was unharmed physically, authorities said.

Neighbors said the incident came as a shock in what is typically a quiet and peaceful neighborhood.

“These things are not normal for this neighborhood,” neighbor Juan Jimenez told FOX5. “Now there’s a kid that doesn’t have her parents and a community that’s just kind of confused and saddened.”

Support Efforts for the Surviving Child

In the aftermath, a community GoFundMe was launched by Flowery Branch resident Brandi Roberts to support the child’s long-term needs.

The fundraiser states in part:

“The family has agreed that the best way to help the daughter and honor her mother is to start a college fund for her future. She is incredibly smart, resilient, and strong. The goal is to surround her with stability, safety, and joy, giving her the best chance at a normal life moving forward.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised $25,429.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Authorities released the names after notifying relatives living out of state.