On August 12, 2019, 26-year-old Morgan Smith was found dead in her home on Walmar Drive in the Village Green subdivision of Macon, Georgia. Her two children, both under five, woke to find their mother unresponsive and went for help; a Macon Water Authority employee alerted authorities and deputies arrived around 11 a.m., discovering Smith had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The children were placed in the care of their grandmother.

Bibb County Violent Crime Investigators identified 32-year-old Roderick William Chester of Jackson, Georgia, as the primary suspect. Chester was arrested and charged with Smith’s murder and was also served with a warrant for an unrelated simple battery charge; he is being held at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center without bond. Family members say Smith had ended the relationship after Chester grew increasingly aggressive and after an incident in which he broke a window at her home.

A commitment hearing has been scheduled to present the evidence against Chester as the family seeks justice and closure for the children. If anyone knew Morgan or has information about her last days or the relationship with Chester, please come forward.