Statesboro Police are continuing investigating the shooting deaths of two men found Thursday night at the Days Inn hotel on Fair Road.
According to a press release from Capt. Jared Akins Friday morning, detectives worked throughout the night processing the scene and working leads.
The two men, whose identities are being withheld pending a formal identification by the GBI’s Coastal Regional Crime Lab, were found dead about 8:30 p.m. after management did a welfare check in their room.
“After a search warrant was secured, investigators entered the room and found two males dead from gunshot wounds," said Statesboro Police Chief Mike Broadhead said Thursday night.
“It appears, though we don’t know for certain, there was an exchange of gunfire," he said. "A number of bullet casings were found in the room and there is evidence of bullet strikes in the room, as well.”
Akins said Friday that "Evidence suggests that the decedents knew their killer or killers and that the event was not random."
Chief Broadhead said the room had been rented under the name of a woman who investigators believe was in Chatham County at the time of the incident – around 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
He said the woman was interviewed Thursday night and investigators hoped to gain information from her about what led up to the incident, including the possible involvement of another shooter or shooters.
Broadhead said detectives began a “slow, meticulous process” in determining what happened.
He said the Days Inn does have video surveillance cameras that detectives are reviewing to glean any information about the incident.
Chief Broadhead said there were no “obvious” signs of contraband in the room and wouldn’t speculate if other illegal activity led to the exchange of gunfire.
He said the men are “not known to Statesboro Police. We have no idea who they are.”
Akins said further information about the incident would be released as the investigation develops.
Anyone with information on this case is requested to contact Senior Detective Katie Reese at (912) 764-9111 or leave an anonymous tip at www.tipsoft.com