UPDATED: Random burglary ends in murder of disabled woman, 44

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    UPDATED for print, 08-15-12 — Sheriff’s investigators are continuing to work leads and analyze evidence relating to the Friday morning murder of a 44-year-old disabled Fayette woman at her grandmother’s home north of Tyrone and close to the Fulton County line.

    Donna Denise Roberts, 44, was shot to death by a burglar who was discovered in the home when Roberts and her 78-year-old grandmother returned from running errands, officials said. The shot was fired as the suspect’s silver or gray passenger car fled the scene, officials said.

    As of late Tuesday morning, it appears that the burglars targeted the home at random and did not know the family, said Sheriff’s Investigator Brent Rowan.

    There was evidence that the burglar or burglars attempted to take items from the home, Rowan said. The sheriff’s department has been working with multiple law enforcement agencies in the area following leads in the case, he added.

    A reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the killing. Anyone with information is asked to call notify Detective Josh Shelton at the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at 770-716-4750 or 770-716-4777 or at joshs@fayettecountyga.gov.

    Roberts and her grandmother spotted the burglars as they approached the front door of their home at 192 Bohannon Road, and at some point the burglars fled from the back door to a nearby vehicle, officials said.

    As the car sped away, Roberts was felled with one gunshot fired from the getaway car, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

    Roberts lived at the home on Bohannon Road with her 78-year-old grandmother due to the fact that Roberts was both physically and mentally handicapped and required constant care, Rowan added.

    In addition to posting a radio lookout for the vehicle with other law enforcement agencies, the sheriff’s office crime scene unit collected and is analyzing physical evidence from the area.

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    UPDATED Monday 3:15 p.m.

    A 44-year-old Fayette woman was shot to death Friday morning after she and her grandmother found burglars inside their home just north of Tyrone, officials said.

    Donna Denise Roberts, 44, and her 78-year-old grandmother were returning from running errands shortly after 11 a.m. when they spotted an unknown number of suspects inside the house as they approached the front door of their residence at 192 Bohannon Road, said Fayette County Sheriff’s Inv. Brent Rowan.

    It is believed the suspect(s) also exited the residence using a rear door and fled to an awaiting vehicle. The suspect vehicle is being described as a possible four-door grey or silver passenger car, Rowan said.

    As the car sped away, one of the suspects fired at least one shot that struck and killed Roberts, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Rowan said. The victim lived at the home on Bohannon Road with her 78-year-old grandmother due to the fact that the victim was both physically and mentally handicapped and required constant care, Rowan added.

    In addition to posting a radio lookout for the vehicle with other law enforcement agencies, the sheriff’s office crime scene unit collected and is analyzing physical evidence.

    Fayette County Investigators are urging anyone with information in this case to please contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. A reward is being offered for information which leads to the arrest(s) and conviction of the suspect(s) in this case.

    Anyone with information about the crime is asked to notify Detective Josh Shelton at the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at 770-716-4750 or 770-716-4777 or at joshs@fayettecountyga.gov