Woman found fatally shot after car hits tree, Columbus police say

Officers called around 2 p.m. Sunday to reports of gunfire and a car crash found a woman fatally shot in a vehicle that hit a tree, Columbus police said.

They gave her chest compressions as paramedics arrived, but rescuers were unable to resuscitate her.

Coroner Buddy Bryan pronounced 71-year-old Barbara Luke dead at 2:45 p.m. at the scene, in the 5000 block of Delray Drive, police said.

Delray Drive is in east Columbus, off Forrest Road between Floyd Road and Wellborn Drive.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Detective Sherman Hayes at 706-225-4268 or shayes@columbusga.org. Anonymous tips can be called to 706-653-3188.

Luke’s death marks Columbus’ first homicide of 2022. The city had 70 last year and 46 the year before.

Tim Chitwood

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

706-571-8508

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.