Police investigate apparent murder-suicide in Johns Creek home

A late-night 911 call from inside a Johns Creek home brought police to the 5300 block of North Hillbrooke Trace, where officers found Martha Holladay, 43, and Richard Holladay, 52, dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Richard Holladay shot his wife and then killed himself; the couple’s three sons, ages 17, 13 and 12, were not injured and had gotten outside before officers entered.

The call came through ChatComm, the city’s 911 emergency communications center, and police kept the scene active for hours while investigators processed evidence and tried to reconstruct what happened inside the house. Johns Creek police said the case appeared isolated and there was no ongoing threat to the public; they also said they had not responded to prior incidents at the address.

The deaths fit a broader pattern family-violence advocates say often stays hidden until it turns fatal. Georgia recorded 42,184 family-violence incidents in 2024, up 12% from 2023, and nearly a third involved a child being present. In the Georgia Commission on Family Violence’s latest fact sheet, domestic-violence-related murder-suicides rose by more than 80% over the five-year overview, and about 4 in 5 domestic-violence fatalities involved a firearm.

Advocates say warning signs can include extreme jealousy, isolation from family or friends, controlling money, threatening behavior toward children or pets, and intimidation with weapons. The National Domestic Violence Hotline says even one or two of those behaviors can be a red flag, and its advocates are available 24 hours a day to discuss safety planning and referrals.

For people in Forsyth County and nearby North Fulton communities, Family Haven in Cumming offers safe temporary shelter, crisis support and referral services, and lists a 24-hour crisis line at 770-887-1121. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office victim advocate line is 678-455-8458, and Georgia’s statewide hotline is 1-800-334-2836, which connects callers to certified shelters and local advocates. For children, the CDC says witnessing violence at home or a family member’s suicide attempt or death can become an adverse childhood experience with lasting effects on health and well-being.