DALTON, GA – A tragic and deeply disturbing case of domestic violence has left four people dead in the small city of Dalton, Georgia, after a man killed his estranged wife, his pregnant girlfriend, and then himself in a violent murder-suicide.
The incident, which unfolded over multiple days last week, has shocked the local community and left two children without their mother, as well as families scrambling to plan funerals and care for those left behind.
Timeline of Events
According to the Dalton Police Department, the violence began on May 21, when Kevin Andrew Akins, 37, went to the apartment of his estranged wife, Rebeca Nicole Akins, 35, on Murray Avenue in Dalton during the early morning hours.
Surveillance footage later showed him leaving the apartment around 6 a.m. Tragically, her body wasn’t discovered until more than two days later, when concerned coworkers requested a welfare check after she failed to show up for work.
When officers entered the apartment with the help of building staff, they found Nicole dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
Second Victim: Pregnant Girlfriend Cindel Rhoden
Police then discovered that Kevin Akins had traveled across town, about 4 miles away, to an apartment on Shadow Lane, where his girlfriend, Cindel Mae Rhoden, 33, lived with her two daughters. Rhoden was five months pregnant with a baby boy.
Inside that apartment, Akins shot and killed Rhoden and then turned the gun on himself, police said.
Their bodies were not discovered until May 24, when Rhoden’s father entered the home with a key and made the horrific discovery. He immediately called 911.
Community in Mourning
Both women’s families have launched GoFundMe pages to help cover funeral expenses and care for the surviving children.
Nicole Akins’ sister wrote,
“She was tragically taken away from us by the man she had loved for over half of her life… Due to being with that man for 20 years, all of her financials were tied up in his.”
Rhoden’s fundraiser describes her as:
“Kind, full of life, and a devoted mom doing her best for her girls.”
Her two daughters are now being cared for by relatives.
A Shocking Case of Domestic Violence
This devastating case highlights the deadly consequences of domestic abuse and the deep emotional and financial impact it can leave behind. The tragic loss of two women, an unborn child, and a man has torn through families and the Dalton community, reminding us that early intervention and support for those in unsafe relationships is critical.
