News 12 at 11 o'clock, April 25, 2009

AUGUSTA, Ga.---An Augusta woman is one of a UGA professor's three shooting victims, she's also his wife.

Tonight police across the country are all looking for George Zinchan shooting at the Athens Community Theater this afternoon.

Marie Bruce, Tom Tanner and Ben Teague were all shot and killed at a picnic reunion for the Athens Town and Gown Players.

Marie Bruce has strong ties to our community. She grew up here, and left a lasting impression.

Austin Rhodes is saddened and shocked, like so many others who knew Bruce.

Marie Bruce was well-known in the theater community, serving as President of the Athens Town and Gown Players.

But years before that, she got her start in Augusta, taking theater at Westside High and also being part of the Augusta Players.

She grew up on Skinner Road and then left for Athens. Austin Rhodes tells me she loved the city so much she stayed and went on to become a defense attorney.

"There is no explanation for something like this and I guess we'll spend the next months, if not years, trying to figure out how any of it can be justified but a young lady like that being taken so young, actually at any age, in such a way is such a tragedy that can't be explained," says friend Austin Rhodes.

News 12 also heard from a former teacher, Naomi Williams who said by phone:
"Marie Bruce was a talented and insightful young artist, and we are broken-hearted by this news."

Police tell us the couple's children are safe tonight and staying with family.

Austin also said he saw her a few years ago and she told him she was as happy as could be and never wanted to go anywhere else. Now friends and family are looking for answers into her murder.