ST. MARYS, Ga. -- A 22-year-old man was accused of shooting his father and mother in their home early Monday morning, then calling 911 and waiting for authorities to arrive, according to the Camden County Sheriff's Office deputies to arrive.
About 6:30 a.m., deputies responded to a 911 call from a home in the 1300 block of Mush Bluff Road -- north of St. Marys city limits along the Crooked River.
Camden County authorities said Tye Watkins told the 911 operator, "I just killed my parents," and he wanted them to know that he would wait for them to arrive.
"He wanted them to know that he would be out on the front porch and would not be armed," Camden Sheriff's Office Lt. William Terrell said.
Authorities said the body of 47-year-old Thomas Watkins was downstairs and that of 44-year-old Cindy Watkins was upstairs. Both were shot multiple times.
The elder Watkins, known as T.J., was a retired Navy chief who was working as a civilian at Kings Bay. Until recently, he was also music director at the Five Point Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach.
Deputies said Tye Watkins' parents had filed a missing persons report hours a few hours before the shootings. Neighbors said the son had been missing for several days.
Deputies said no one else was home at the time of the shootings. The victims' daughter lives across the street.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families involved in this," Terrell said.
Friends and neighbors shared that sentiment, telling Channel 4's Laura Mazzeo that they could never have imagined seeing crime-scene tape wrapped around what seemed to be such a happy family home.
"This does not happen in this county or in this area," one woman said. "It's going to be a big shock for this community, I'm sure."
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation joined local investigators at the home on Monday to gathering evidence.