On Monday October 10th at approximately 10pm the Macon County Sheriffs Office received a call from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office advising they were in contact with a female from Macon County who had made some statements during the course of a field interview with their officers. The JCSO requested that we conduct a welfare check at a residence on Mack Branch Road in Macon County.
After arriving at the Mack Branch residence MCSO deputies were able to see what appeared to be a body on the floor. Due to exigent circumstances, deputies immediately made entry into the home and discovered two bodies within the residence. The bodies were located in two different locations of the residence. Both victims appeared to have died as a result of gunfire. Deputies immediately secured the residence and the property and notified detectives with the MCSO Criminal Investigations Unit.
Once on scene, an investigation was initiated and shortly thereafter the State Bureau of Investigations crime scene unit was requested to assist the MCSO. Throughout the night and during the day investigators conducted interviews and followed up on leads. Following an interview with a suspect, information lead investigators back to Jackson County. A vehicle believed to be owned by one of the victims was located down an embankment. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and SBI assisted Macon County investigators in a search at another location in Jackson County where a firearm was recovered.
On Tuesday, Divinity Aleza Guest was formerly charged with two counts of second degree murder. Guest is the daughter of one of the victims. The second victim is not being identified at this time due to the fact investigators are attempting to locate the next of kin.
Sheriff Robert L. Holland states, “From the start we had little to no information and no substantial suspects. Because of the exceptional work of our investigators and the great working relationship with our law enforcement partners we progressed throughout the day. While investigators worked all night and through the following day, they were able to recover the murder weapon and make an arrest before the sun set again.”
Guest remains in the Macon County Detention Center under a million dollar bond.
The Macon County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to conduct interviews and follow up with other information including seeking others who may be involved. Autopsy of both victims is currently being conducted in Winston Salem at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact MCSO Criminal Investigations Unit Capt. Dani Burrows (828) 371-1201 or Det. Matt Breedlove at (828) 349-2573
You can also call into our CrimeStoppers tip line or send tips by downloading our App
Lets give her a platform for attention like she wanted. Journalists are saving the country one news story at a time. This girl will now be on the front page of the newspaper. If only we had headline news about good things local children do to give them something to imitate.
Of I forgot we live in Franklin where we hate the youth.
Oncemaking anything you want to make it into but the day that a woman thought that a dollar meant more than raising the children that needed a mother to teach compassion and honor. Character flaws cane from the lack of parenting piece on their lives. what we need is nothing else about marketing or something good for the children to look at on the front page you know what they need? Having a parent in the house gives a child a sense of importance to someone as well as belonging ..