Evelyn Hawk loved everything about Easter: worshipping at church, celebrating with family, the bright colors of spring.
This year’s observance will be a different one for her Coweta County family. today marks one year since Evelyn and her husband Tommy, both 75, and their 18-year-old grandson, Luke, were gunned down inside the family business. County coroner Richard Hawk found the bodies of his parents and son inside the Lock Stock & Barrel gun range.
The shootings shocked their small town of Grantville and beyond. In the days after the killings, the Hawk family publicly shared that faith was leading them through. A year later, the family is grateful for all of the support they’ve received and are focused on their goal of providing a full scholarship for a college student to follow the dreams Luke didn’t get to pursue.
“It’s changed the family forever,” Shelby Wright-Whitlock, family spokesperson and Luke’s aunt, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We are celebrating Easter this year, but we’re celebrating it differently.”
Luke loved the outdoors, whether it be hunting or fishing. He had planned to pursue an agriculture degree at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, his father said after his death. Luke was to graduate in May 2022 from East Coweta High School.
After Luke and his grandparents were killed, funds were raised to honor all three, Wright-Whitlock said. In honor of Tommy Hawk, funds were donated to Coweta first responders. Money was donated to the Ronald McDonald House in honor of Evelyn Hawk.
In Luke’s memory, the family decided to create a scholarship at ABAC, where his older sister also attended. So far, the family is halfway to the goal of funding a full scholarship.
Credit: Branden Camp
Credit: Branden Camp
“The family wants the community to know the funds are going to work, and they’re going to work this fall,” Wright-Whitlock said. “It will hopefully help change some other young person’s trajectory in a positive light.”
At the joint funeral for the Hawks at Unity Baptist Church in Newnan, the coroner asked for prayers for his family and led those attending in a praise song. The next day, Jacob Christian Muse, now 22, was arrested and charged with murder.
In July, Muse was indicted on 16 charges, including three counts each of malice murder and felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. The grand jury also charged Muse with armed robbery and three counts of possession of a gun during the commission of a felony. He remains in the Coweta jail.
Richard Hawk previously said he wouldn’t speak publicly about the case while it remains open. Wright-Whitlock said the family’s faith continues to light the way.
“While he and the rest of the family can’t talk about the trial, the entire family wants it known that while they could be angry, they chose to pray for the murderer’s redemption and salvation this week especially, with it being Easter week,” she said.
HOW TO HELP
To donate to the Luke Hawk scholarship fund, please visit to make a donation to the scholarship, see abac.edu/give. Under “Designation” choose “Other” and type in the Luke Hawk Scholarship.
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