Police Identify Suspect, Mother and Son Killed in Murder-Suicide in Tuscaloosa County

Investigators have identified the suspect, mother and her 8-year-old son killed in a Thursday murder-suicide in Tuscaloosa County.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to a residence in the 9700 block of Charolais Drive (Hinton Place) on reports of a shooting at approximately 3:00 a.m. Thursday.

Deputies arrived on scene and spoke with several witnesses who reported that a man possibly shot his girlfriend inside the home during a domestic argument.

The witnesses had fled the residence before deputies arrived, and reported that the suspect, his girlfriend and her 8-year-old child were still inside.

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No contact had been made with anyone inside the home after the witnesses fled.

As the Sheriff's Office Tactical Unit entered the residence, they discovered the suspect, Darrin Lamar Patton Jr., 34, his girlfriend Derika Shanice McGhee, 29, and her son Aiden Carter Williams, 8, all deceased.

Captain Jack Kennedy, commander of the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, said that all signs point to Patton having killed both victims before killing himself.

Kennedy confirmed that Patton was not the father of the child.

As of publishing, the Tuscaloosa VCU has assumed the investigation. They ask that the privacy of the families involved be respected during this tragic time.