Georgia man, 20, arrested after fatally shooting mother and stepfather, police say

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A Georgia man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly killing his mother and stepfather, according to an announcement from the Oconee County Sheriff's Department.

Peyton Moyer, 20, is being held at the Oconee County Jail after being charged with two counts of murder and one count of cruelty to children.

Moyer is alleged to have killed his mother, identified as 41-year-old Ashley Schultz, and his stepfather, 54-year-old Benjamin Smith, Oconee County Sheriff James Hale said.

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Around midnight on Tuesday, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a home in Watkinsville, Georgia, where they found Schultz and Smith dead of apparent gunshot wounds.

Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville, Georgia (BOB WESTON/iStock via Getty Images)

Moyer’s 16-year-old and 4-year-old sisters were found at the home unharmed, Hale said.

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Moyer, who lived with his parents at their home, reportedly fled the scene in one of the victim's cars and was later apprehended by Athens Clarke County Police after a short pursuit.

Police crime tape (Photo by iStock via Getty Images) (iStock)

Law enforcement did not say what might have led Moyer to commit such a crime.

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"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims," said the Oconee Sheriff's Office, which added that the case remains under investigation.