Teacher fatally shot while driving her car was likely targeted, sheriff says

Investigators spent all weekend interviewing people close to Veronique Reaves to try to determine who might have wanted her dead.

The 36-year-old adjunct instructor for Central Georgia Technical College in Milledgeville was fatally shot about 1:30 a.m. Friday as she drove on Ga. 212, Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee said.

“We don’t think this is a random shooting because we haven’t had any issues like that,” Massee said Monday after his deputies worked through the weekend to follow leads. “At this point we’ve only established it was one shot.”

The bullet came from a vehicle that was following her, went through Reaves’ gray Toyota Camry and hit her as she was driving.

“She pulled off the road and made a cellphone call to us,” Massee said. “She said she was shot. ... Her vehicle was shot from behind.”

The bullet reportedly traveled through the back tail light, back seat and front seat before striking her.

Reaves was rushed to Oconee Regional Medical Center, Navicent Health, in Milledgeville.

Baldwin County Deputy Coroner Ken Garland pronounced her dead at 2:52 a.m. Friday.

Her body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab in Macon for an autopsy.

Initial reports showed she was hit in the back on the right side, and the bullet exited through her abdomen.

Massee said investigators are trying to verify what type of car was traveling behind her when she was shot before releasing that information to the public.

He declined to say what type of gun was used.

The GBI gathered evidence at the crime scene in the 600 block of Ga. 212, not far from Little Road.

GBI agents also are working closely with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office to find the killer.

Massee said officers have been working tirelessly on the case.

“It’s been very active. We have teams of people conducting interviews trying to determine if there is anybody she might have issues with,” he said.

Anyone with any information that could be helpful to investigators is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 478-445-4891 or Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 877-68-CRIME.

This story was originally published October 23, 2017 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Teacher fatally shot while driving her car was likely targeted, sheriff says."