A tragic incident in Milledgeville has left a community mourning after a pregnant woman and her unborn child were found dead in what authorities are investigating as an apparent murder-suicide.
According to the Milledgeville Police Department, officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of North Richmond Street around 10:15 a.m. on June 19 after receiving a call for assistance. Upon arrival, they discovered the bodies of 31-year-old Briuna Hartry and 33-year-old Jajuan Taylor inside the home.
Police Chief Dray Swicord said preliminary findings indicate that Taylor fatally shot Hartry, who was approximately 33 weeks pregnant, before taking his own life. Investigators believe the shootings occurred sometime between midnight and 8 a.m. Friday morning.
The heartbreaking loss has deeply affected family members, friends, and co-workers who had recently celebrated Hartry’s upcoming arrival. Just days before her death, Hartry shared a social media post expressing gratitude to colleagues who organized a surprise baby shower in honor of her expected daughter. In the post, she wrote that her “baby girl is already loved,” a message that has since drawn emotional responses from those mourning the loss.
Friends had also previously celebrated the pregnancy earlier this year during a gender reveal gathering. Social media posts shared in January captured moments of joy and anticipation as loved ones came together to welcome the future addition to the family.
Authorities have emphasized that there is no ongoing danger to the public. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and are working closely with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Macon to process evidence and determine the full sequence of events.
Anyone who may have information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact Lieutenant Phillip Vinson at 478-414-4090.
The deaths of Hartry and her unborn daughter have left many in the Milledgeville community grieving a life cut short and a future that will never be realized.
