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Peter Miles Hamilton -
Photo courtesy of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office – Peter Miles Hamilton, 66, center, is walked into the Putnam County Jail to be booked on the charge of murdering his wife.
A Welaka man was arrested Wednesday having been named the suspect in his wife’s shooting death and refusing to leave his home.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office charged Peter Miles Hamilton, 66, with the first-degree murder of his wife, Tina Hamilton, according to the agency’s Facebook page.
Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to 104 Penny Acres Lane in Welaka, where they found Peter Hamilton refusing to leave his home, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities eventually convinced the suspect to exit his home after relaying messages through sheriff’s office dispatchers, the agency stated. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail later that day and was denied bond.
As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peter Hamilton’s mugshot had not been posted to the jail’s inmate search.
When deputies entered the home, they found his 64-year-old wife unconscious, having sustained a gunshot wound, the agency reported. Emergency rescue responders tried to perform CPR, according to the Facebook post, but could not get a pulse. She died on the scene, the sheriff’s office said, and her autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
While investigators worked the case Wednesday, they determined Peter Hamilton to be the prime suspect, according to the sheriff’s office. The agency said there had been no history of domestic disputes among the couple.
However, Sheriff Gator DeLoach urged people to trust their judgment and reach out to law enforcement officials if they feel like their partner poses a threat to them.
"This is a tragic situation for the family, and I ask that you keep them in your prayers," DeLoach said in the Facebook release. "While there were no documented signs of domestic violence in this case, I would implore friends and families to trust your gut. If you see something off or amiss, let us know. We would rather err on the side of caution than to have life lost."
The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office stated, and no further information was available Wednesday evening.