Contributed photo – Casey Lawhorn
UPDATE: Mississippi law enforcement officials said Monday that the body of Casey Lawhorn has been found in the Vossburg, Miss. area. Lawhorn had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
East Ridge Assistant Police Chief Stan Allen said police are looking for a suspect who shot and killed two people Sunday morning. It happened at a residence in the 1700 block of John Ross Road.
The suspect is Casey Lawhorn. He is a 23-year-old white male. Lawhorn was first believed to be driving a 1993 white Chevrolet Lumina with Tennessee tag number A5582V. Later in the morning police said that car was found at a repair shop. Police now believe that Lawhorn is driving a 2002 gold Ford Taurus with Tennessee tag W0327L. Police say the car belonged to one of the victims.
Allen says the suspect called police around 5 a.m. Sunday morning to say he had shot two people. When police arrived they knocked on the door, but when no one answered they forced entry into the home and found the two people dead inside, one man and one woman. Officials said both people had suffered gunshot wounds to the head. One of the victim’s has been identified as Vi Lawhorn, the suspect’s mother. The male victim, police said, is 22-year-old Avery Gaines of Ringgold, Ga., a friend of Vi Lawhorn’s.
Allen says the suspect told police he was driving somewhere looking for a remote location to kill himself. Officials believe Lawhorn may be in the Dade County, Ga. area. Late Sunday afternoon, police said that Lawhorn was driving the car southwest through Georgia.
Authorities in Jasper County Mississippi said Sunday evening via Facebook that deputies found Lawhorn’s vehicle on I-59 near the Vossburg exit. Lawhorn was not in the vehicle but officials believe he is still in the area.
Also on Sunday, Lawhorn made a post to his personal Facebook page describing the killings of his mother and her friend in detail. In that post Lawhorn claimed to be broken down in his car somewhere along Interstate 59 in Mississippi, police said.
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact ERPD. Officials said Lawhorn is considered armed and dangerous.
East Ridge News Online will continue to update this story when more information is available.
