Divorcing east Columbus couple killed in murder-suicide, coroner says

A divorcing east Columbus couple were found dead Saturday after the wife shot her husband and then herself, authorities said.

Debbie Ratledge, 63, fatally shot 47-year-old husband Christopher Ratledge before using the gun on herself, said Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.

The husband was pronounced dead at 10:22 a.m., and the wife at 10:24, he said.

Though about to divorce, they still were living together at their home on Roanoke Drive, where investigators found no evidence a struggle had taken place, Bryan said.

Roanoke Drive is off U.S. 80, or Macon Road, in the Upatoi area.

Christopher Ratledge’s death marks Columbus’ second homicide of 2020.

This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 8:13 PM.

Tim Chitwood

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

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Tim Chitwood is from Seale, Alabama, and started as a police beat reporter with the Ledger-Enquirer in 1982. He since has covered Columbus’ serial killings and other homicides, following some from the scene of the crime to trial verdicts and ensuing appeals. He also has been a Ledger-Enquirer humor columnist since 1987. He’s a graduate of Auburn University, and started out working for the weekly Phenix Citizen in Phenix City, Ala.