14-year-old detained and charged with malice murder after allegedly killing mother in Tifton

TIFTON, Ga. – On November 19, 2024, at approximately 8:02 AM, Tifton Police Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of East 18th Street to contact Rachel Wagner regarding her daughter being in an accident in Bibb County, Ga. After arriving, the officers were unable to reach anyone at the residence. Officers discovered the identity of Mrs. Wagner’s employer and reached out to them, only to find out that she had not reported for work and had not called in to notify anyone. The officers then returned to East 18th Street and entered her home, where they found her deceased in the back bedroom, apparently from a gunshot wound.

Further investigation revealed that Miss Wagner’s 14-year-old daughter had taken her vehicle and was involved in a wreck in Bibb County, Georgia. The juvenile was transported to Tifton. After further investigation, evidence was obtained to charge her with one count of murder in the shooting death of her mother, Rachel Wagner, 41, of Tifton, Georgia. She is currently being held in juvenile detention.

The Tifton Police Department requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Sylvester Field Office Crime Scene Specialist to process the crime scene. The investigation is active and ongoing. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Tifton Police Department Sgt. Sydney Greene at 229-382-3132. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or using the TiftonPD Tip411 mobile app.

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