A harrowing murder-suicide occurred on December 9, 2024, in an apartment in DeKalb County, Georgia, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, two of whom were children.

The dead were identified as Mollian Johnson, 43, her daughter-in-law Kaylyn Samuel, 25, and Samuel’s children, Jedorah Powell, five, and Jontavious Powell, one. The suspected perpetrator, Jonathan Darden, 42, was reportedly in a relationship with Johnson and is believed to have shot the family before taking his own life.

Johnson’s daughter, Chanel Carter, discovered the tragedy during a welfare check after being unable to reach her mother. Carter disclosed that Darden had initially planned to commit the crime on Christmas dinner when all of Johnson’s children would be there. However, the plan was executed earlier, possibly due to the expected arrival of Johnson’s sons.

Carter revealed to FOX 5 Atlanta that she last saw her mother in the hospital a week earlier, and grew worried when her mother did not respond to her messages in the subsequent days. Accompanied by the police for the wellness check, Carter was confronted with the heartbreaking scene, discovering the family had already been dead for five days.

The family was living together in The Vineyards at Flat Shoals Apartments, where their bodies were found around 7:30 p.m. Investigators spent approximately five hours examining the crime scene. The incident left neighbors stunned, particularly in the backdrop of the apartment’s Christmas decorations.

Jontae Powell, the father of the two deceased children, expressed his deep grief, stating, “Everything is gone,” conveying his profound loss over the death of his mother, his children, and their mother in the tragic event.

According to local media reports, Mollian Johnson had informed her daughter, Chanel Carter, of her intentions to leave Jonathan Darden. Neighbors also reported frequent disturbances related to Darden, which included loud arguments and disruptive behavior.

Despite these concerning indicators, Darden was never formally charged. This unfortunate event underlines the importance of greater awareness and robust support mechanisms to identify the red flags of domestic violence and prevent such catastrophic outcomes.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, the family, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is striving to bring their loved ones back to Wisconsin for burial. They have established a GoFundMe campaign to assist with the substantial funeral and transportation costs. As of December 10, 2024, the campaign had accumulated over $15,000. A close family member who created the page shared their sorrow and financial burden, emphasizing the significance of giving the victims a dignified farewell and requesting community support to handle the associated expenses.