2 Athens residents killed, 2 jailed in attempted Barrow County robbery

Two Athens (Georgia) residents were shot to death and two more are in jail after authorities said the four attempted to rob a person Tuesday in Barrow County.

Those killed were identified as Jose Barrera, 19, and Erika Contreras, 19, according to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, which released the names Friday.

The two were shot to death during an attempted robbery on Beech Creek Circle, a neighborhood east of Winder off Georgia Highway 82, according to deputies.

Julio Rivera, 20, and Alphonzo Gonzalez, 19, were arrested and charged with attempted armed robbery and aggravated assault. They remain in jail without bond.

Deputies said the man targeted for robbery was in a vehicle when the two suspects were shot. The man, who lived on Beech Creek Circle, was with an Athens woman when they stopped due to car trouble, according to the incident report.

The victim “heard footsteps and turned to his right and saw a gun in his face, so he shot the male,” the report said. The report contained no information on the shooting of the other suspect who was killed.

The robbery victim, who was shaking, told deputies he could not give a more detailed statement at the scene because he “did not know what else to say,” according to the report.

Deputies earlier said the two shooting victims were found near the scene of the robbery attempt, which occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m


Suspect fatally shot in head, homeowner shot in leg after masked men invade home in Chesterfield County.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) – A suspect was fatally shot in the head and a homeowner was shot in the leg after masked men invaded a home in Chesterfield County Friday morning.

The incident happened at a home off Highway 207.

Officials say two masked men went into a home and one of them shot the homeowner in the leg.

That same homeowner then got into a fight with the other masked man before the homeowner’s son came out with a shotgun and shot the man in the head who was fighting his father, according to authorities.

The masked man who fired the first shot reportedly got into a small white car and headed towards North Carolina.

The masked man who was shot in the head, identified only as a 17-year-old male, was flown to a hospital in Charlotte with life-threatening injuries. That 17-year-old male suspect later died from his injuries.

While investigating, the Union County Sheriff’s Office helped search for a white car.

Officials detained 21-year-old Noah Daniels who will be charged with burglary in the first degree, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Officials say 23-year-old Austin Lee Drake will face the same charges when deputies find him. Deputies say Drake tried to rob the same house back in Dec. 2020, and was out on bond for that incident at the time of this crime.

Homeowner shot during home invasion in Chesterfield County
Daniels, Drake and the 17-year-old male suspect who died were all involved in the home invasion. Officials did not specify who, between Daniels and Drake, was the other masked man who went into the house.

In addition, officials detained a 17-year-old woman for questioning, and she’s currently facing charges of accessory after the fact.

Details remain mostly limited as the investigation continues.