Ga. family grieving after losing young mother in double murder-suicide

DALTON, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The family of Cindel Rhoden is left absolutely heartbroken and two little girls are now without their mother.

“We would just like to have enough money to give her a burial she deserves, so those girls will have a place to go visit their mom,” said Lynn Barker, Rhoden’s aunt.

Dalton police said last Wednesday 37-year-old Kevin Akins shot and killed his wife, 35-year-old Rebeca Akins. He then drove to his girlfriend, Cindel Rhoden’s home, shot her, and afterward, turned the gun on himself.

“She was a victim of manipulation,” Barker said. “She took people at their word. That was her mistake. But it doesn’t mean she deserved or asked or put herself in the position for this to happen.”

Barker said it was Rhoden’s father who found her at her home Saturday after she was not answering calls. Now, three families are left grieving.

“My heart goes out to them. They’re suffering a loss. Kevin’s parents are suffering a loss. Nobody asked for this. Why it happened, we don’t know,” Barker said.

Barker mentioned another victim, a baby named Noah Elliot. She said Rhoden was five months pregnant at the time of her death.

“I know everybody judges, people speculate, and they’re entitled to that. But as humans, don’t lose comion. There’s a lot of lives that are devastated and broken,” Barker said.

The family started a fundraiser to help with burial expenses and to help Rhoden’s two young daughters.

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