A Georgia professor is being charged in a brutal and devastating murder.
Richard Sigman, a 47-year-old professor at the University of West Georgia, allegedly shot and killed an incoming freshman on Saturday, July 30. He's now being charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm.
The deceased, 18-year-old Anna Jones, was enrolled at the university and would've been starting in just a few short weeks.
The way the incident unfolded around midnight on Saturday is leaving investigators with a lot of questions. Carrollton police said that security was alerted at a local pizza place when the professor became violent. He allegedly threatened to shoot a man he had gotten into an argument with.
Security, seeing that the man had a weapon, asked him to leave the establishment. He did, but then walked toward the parking deck and began firing his weapon. He shot into a parked vehicle. Jones was sitting in the car and was struck.
Jones' friends quickly drove her to Tanner Medical Center, but it was too late for her to be saved. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police were called to come investigate at around 12:30 a.m.
At this time, it is not believed that Jones had ever met the professor. She seems to have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The professor has been fired from the university in the wake of the incident. A spokesperson for the school released a statement. “On behalf of the university, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to Anna’s family and many friends,” President Brendan Kelly said in a statement shared with WXIA.
“We know this news is difficult to process and affects many members of our university community," the statement continued. "We ask that you keep Anna’s family, friends, and all who have been touched by this tragedy in your thoughts during this tremendously difficult time."
The deceased graduated from Mount Zion High School in 2022. Her alma mater honored her with a tribute on Facebook. “Anna loved this school and this community and she will be missed dearly by many,” the school posted. “Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe page for the victim's family raised over $18,000 in just one day. "She was a beautiful, sweet soul and her smile would light up a room!" the page reads. "As with most parents, you never think that you will need life insurance for your child. This was a devastating and senseless crime that left a lot of hearts broken, a community mourning, and a family grieving."
