Cindel Mae Rhoden dies in fatal Dalton shooting
Fatal Dalton shooting death of Cindel Mae Rhoden – Obituary
Dalton police have identified 33-year-old Cindel Mae Rhoden as one of the victims in a deadly sequence of shootings that ended in a murder-suicide. Investigators believe Rhoden was shot and killed by Kevin Andrew Akins, who later turned the gun on himself.
According to authorities, the tragic events began when Akins allegedly murdered his wife, Rebeca Nicole Akins, at her Murray Avenue apartment in the early morning hours of May 21. Afterward, Akins reportedly drove to Rhoden’s residence at 1805 Shadow Lane, where he fatally shot her before dying by suicide.
The bodies of Rhoden and Akins were discovered in the early hours of May 24. Police had been surveilling the Shadow Lane apartment while waiting for a search warrant when Rhoden’s father arrived, used a key to enter, and immediately called 911 upon finding his daughter and Akins deceased inside.
Officers had initially responded to a welfare check for Rebeca Akins on May 23, after her coworkers raised concerns about her absence. Upon entry into her apartment, police found her dead from a gunshot wound and immediately began an investigation. Surveillance footage showed Kevin Akins leaving her residence the morning of May 21.
Later that same day, his vehicle was located at Rhoden’s apartment complex, tying the two crime scenes together.
Neighbors described the neighborhood as quiet and peaceful, and many expressed their disbelief and fear after learning of the violent events. The motive behind the killings has not yet been determined, and the investigation is still active.
