Three Dead After Murder-Suicide In Hinton Place

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit says a man shot and killed his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son at a residence in the Hinton Place neighborhood, before taking his own life early Thursday morning.

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Captain Jack Kennedy, the commander of the multi-agency unit, told local media that at approximately 3 a.m., The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a shooting at a residence in the 9700 block of Charolais Drive.

Once on scene, deputies made contact with several witnesses who reported that Darrin Lamar Patton Jr., 34, may have possibly shot his girlfriend inside the home during a domestic argument.

"The witnesses had fled the residence before deputies arrived and reported that Patton, his girlfriend, and her 8-year-old child were still inside," Kennedy said. "No contact had been made with any occupants of the home after the witnesses fled the residence."

Kennedy went on to say that the TCSO Tactical Unit was called out and made entry into the home, where they found Derika Shanice McGhee, 29, and Aiden Carter Williams, 8, both dead from gunshot wounds.

Patton, who Kennedy said was not the father of the child, was also found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

This marks the first homicide investigation of 2022 in Tuscaloosa County.

This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more information as it comes available.