Unanswered questions in Habersham County murders

Unanswered questions in Habersham County murders | FOX 5



HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. -It was a tragedy which struck a Habersham County church known as the Torch particularly hard. The gunman and all his victims in one way or another were connected to this house of worship.

Cody Kelley and Pastor Mike Franklin prayed for answers where there are no easy ones.

Pastor Franklin says he spoke to Anthony Giacuinta the day of the murders.

"The day he shot Kathy and Steve he spoke to me and said pastor I'm not okay,"said Pastor Franklin.

According to the GBI former Habersham County deputy Anthony Giaquinta shot and killed his ex-wife Cathy and her friend Steve Singleton at Cathy's Clarkesville home. They say Giaquinta died from cross fire when he wounded Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrill and a deputy.

Pastor Franklin says He'd been counseling Giacuinta for the last year and a half after the couple divorced.

He says on the day of the murders he had a long conversation with Giacuenta who seemed emotionally stable.

"I don't know what caused him to snap but he snapped and stepped off the deep end so to speak emotionally and my, what a tragedy followed," said Pastor Franklin.

The tragedy involved the Giacuenta teenage daughters losing their father and mother. A sheriff and deputy are recovering from wounds and the loss of Steve Singleton, well known in the Demorest area for helping teens through the nonprofit the Easton Foundation. It was formed after his son 17 year old Easton was killed in a car crash three years ago.

"They give scholarships to students to help students go to college, when students are in tragic car accidents they send care packages to help them," said Cody Kelley, a friend of Singleton.

The nonprofit also sponsors the Battle of the Hero's, an annual Fundraising football game involving local law enforcement and fire fighters. Steve Singletons vision of helping teens will continue.

"I think we will definitely work harder to try to help the community and try to help teens", said Kelley.

Now pastor Franklin trying to help the shattered families of the gunman and victims.

"There's no way to go back if there was a rock that we could have turned we tried to turn it,” said Pastor Franklin.

While there may be no easy answers, Habersham County will try to find some peace with a prayer rally at the Habersham County courthouse on Saturday March 7th from 5 to 7 at night.