14-year-old charged with murder after allegedly shooting, killing mother in Tift County

TIFT COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - A 14-year-old has been charged with the murder of her mother in Tifton, police say.

According to the Tifton Police Department (TPD), on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at around 8 a.m. police arrived at a residence located on the 100 block of East 18th Street to contact the victim, Rachel Wagner, 41, in regards to her 14-year-old daughter being in an accident in Bibb County.

During that time officers were unable to reach anyone at the residence. After contacting the victim’s employer who was still unable to locate her, the officer returned to the residence.

Once police arrived, they found Rachel Wagner dead in the back bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound.

Further investigation and evidence obtained revealed that 14-year-old Lilyand Rose Wagner was connected to the shooting death of her mother. Police also say the juvenile took her mother’s car and was involved in an accident in Bibb County.

She has been charged with one count of malice murder.

“We don’t segregate crime,” Lt. Chris Luckey said. “Crime doesn’t have a race or a color, and it doesn’t have an age. Crime happens everywhere.  I hate when people refer to my side of town, this side of town because we consider our town as a whole and it affects our community whether it’s north side, the south side it affects our community as a whole and we investigate all crime no matter where it is. I don’t like when people say my side of town. We are a community, we serve our community and we are the city of Tifton.”

The Tifton Police Department requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Sylvester Field Office Crime Scene Specialist to process the crime scene.

Authorities say they are currently still working to establish a motive, but at this time, Lilyand is in custody at the regional youth detention center.

The investigation is active and ongoing. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Tifton Police Department Sgt. Sydney Greene at (229) 382-3132. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or using the TiftonPD Tip411 mobile app.

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