Dalton, GA Tragedy: Community Mourns After Double Murder-Suicide Claims Lives of Two Women and Unborn Child
The city of Dalton, Georgia, is in mourning following a devastating double murder-suicide that claimed the lives of two women and an unborn child. Authorities with the Dalton Police Department have identified the victims as Rebeca Akins, Cindel Rhoden, and Rhoden’s unborn son, Noah Elliot. The man responsible, 38-year-old Kevin Akins, took his own life after committing the murders, leaving behind families shattered by grief and a community grappling with shock and sorrow.
According to investigators, the violence began at an apartment on Murray Avenue, where Kevin Akins fatally shot his wife, Rebeca Akins. He then drove to Shadow Lane, where he shot and killed 27-year-old Cindel Rhoden—his girlfriend—before turning the gun on himself. Rhoden, a devoted mother of two young daughters, was five months pregnant with Akins’ child at the time of the attack.
The tragic sequence of events unfolded swiftly, leaving little time for intervention. Police were called to the scenes after the shootings had occurred, and all three individuals were found deceased. The unborn child, a boy Rhoden had planned to name Noah Elliot, died along with his mother.
Family members have since confirmed that Kevin Akins had been in a relationship with Rhoden while still married to his wife, Rebeca. The revelation has added further layers of heartbreak to an already incomprehensible loss.
In the days following the tragedy, loved ones have spoken out to remember the lives lost and to bring attention to the painful reality left in its wake.
Remembering Cindel Rhoden: A Loving Mother and Expectant Parent
Rhoden’s aunt, Lynn Barker, shared heartfelt memories of her niece, describing her as a warm, devoted mother whose life revolved around her children.
“For those that did know Cindel, they knew she was a loving mom,” Barker said. “She dedicated her life to being a mother, a good mother, to those kids.”
Cindel was looking forward to welcoming her son and completing her family. “She was excited to have a boy to go with the two girls,” Barker added. “The girls were excited to have a brother. They had named him Noah Elliot.”
Barker also spoke candidly about the relationship that ultimately led to Rhoden’s death. She said her niece was misled by Akins, whom she trusted.
“She didn’t ask for the situation that she was in,” Barker said. “She accepted the relationship like any young, beautiful girl at her age would. She was lied to. She was a victim. No one deserves that.”
Rebeca Akins: A Life Cut Short
Very little has been publicly shared about Rebeca Akins, but she, too, has been remembered as a victim of senseless violence. Friends and family have expressed condolences and solidarity with her loved ones, who are grieving alongside Rhoden’s family.
Barker extended her sympathy to the Akins family, acknowledging the complex emotional toll this tragedy has inflicted across multiple households.
“Our heart goes out to Rebeca’s family. Our heart goes out to Kevin’s family, and our heart is broken,” she said. “Her (Rhoden’s) mother’s heart is broken. Cindel was her only child.”
Focus on the Future: Supporting the Children Left Behind
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Rhoden’s family is now focused on supporting her two young daughters, who are left without their mother and the baby brother they had been eagerly anticipating.
“We just got to be there for them and reassure them. If she could’ve changed the outcome, she would’ve,” Barker said. “She would not have left them… and [we’ll] just love them, support them, and make sure they remember their mother.”
To help ease the financial burden of funeral expenses and provide for the care of Cindel’s children, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign. Community members have already begun donating, offering both financial and emotional support during this unimaginably difficult time.
As Dalton continues to process the gravity of this tragedy, the memory of Rebeca Akins, Cindel Rhoden, and baby Noah Elliot remains at the forefront. In their honor, families are vowing to protect, nurture, and support the children who remain, while calling attention to the importance of healthy relationships, mental health support, and the warning signs of domestic violence.
This incident leaves behind not just a trail of sorrow, but a plea for awareness, intervention, and healing—for the families, for the community, and most of all, for the children now forced to navigate a world without their mother.
