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Sheriff: Man accused of killing his child's mom, nearly drowns trying to swim away from deputies in Lake Juliette

Deputies were about to arrest the man when he jumped into the lake, they said.
Credit: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — A Forsyth man is facing murder charges after deputies said he allegedly killed the mother of his child, left her in a car and jumped into a lake to avoid being taken into custody by Monroe County law enforcement.

The investigation started after Toriyahna Proctor was reported missing Wednesday at 8:40 a.m., according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Detectives said she was last contacted the night before and was traveling with the father of her child and her baby in a black Malibu. 

Just before noon, deputies said they discovered the Malibu at the Holly Grove Boat Ramp in Monroe County backed in a parking space. The sheriff's office said the man was sitting in the front seat of the car. He then left the car and deputies began conducting a pat-down search, according to authorities. Meantime, deputies investigated the man's car and found Proctor dead.

The man then took off and jumped into Lake Juliette. He was unable to swim and was rescued by the deputies, the sheriff's office said, and promptly put in handcuffs. 

The pair's child was unharmed in the incident and is under the care of family members, the sheriff's office said.

The man is now facing several charges including obstruction of law enforcement, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and murder. 

The sheriff's office said deputies are still investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call investigator Marilynne Fitts at 478-994-7287.

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