Three Dead in Murder-Suicide

Three people are dead after what investigators believe was the result of a domestic dispute.

It happened Saturday night at Froh’s Restaurant on Rock Springs Road in Hart County.

According to Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland he received a call late Saturday night regarding at shooting at the popular restaurant.

“I got a call about  midnight. When I arrived, one victim, Jason Forkin, was on the floor already expired,” Cleveland said. 

Cleveland said the shooter, identified as 46-year old Sammy Chumley, address unknown, came to the restaurant after closing armed with a gun.

“When Forkin saw Chumley had a gun, he ran into another room,” Cleveland said. “He then ran outside into a covered outside dining area where Chumley caught up with him and shot him.”  

Witnesses said Chumley then went back inside and grabbed his ex-wife, indentified as Laurie Weaver Chumley, address unknown, and forced her at gunpoint to leave with him.  The two were seen getting into Weaver’s car. Chumley drove them to a burned out house on Muddy Branch Road off Uniwatti Road in Franklin County near Canon where the couple once lived, Cleveland said. There, Chumley shot and killed his ex-wife and then turned the gun on himself. 

Cleveland said  Chumley shot himself in the head. He was taken to an area hospital and was put on life support but later died.

Cleveland said it’s not clear why Chumley shot Forkin.  Forkin was the owner of Froh’s, a popular eatery on Hartwell Lake near the Rock Springs boat ramp.  Laurie Weaver Chumley was an employee at the restaurant. 

The couple was reportedly separated and leave behind two little girls.