Ellijay, GA – On Friday, April 27, 2018, at approximately 10:15 p.m., the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was requested by the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office to investigate an in-custody death.

At approximately 10:00 p.m., Charles Michael Patrick, age 72, was found hanging in an isolation cell of the Gilmer County Detention Center.   Patrick was pronounced dead at the scene. Patrick was arrested Thursday, April 26, 2018 for the murder of Drusilla Patrick (see below).

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Decatur. 

Ellijay, GA (4/27/18) – On Thursday, April 26, 2018, Charles Michael Patrick, age 72, was arrested and charged with murder for the death of Drusilla Patrick, age 68.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) regarding a missing person.  The initial information indicated United States Probation was supervising probationer Charles Michael Patrick and became concerned about the whereabouts of his wife, Drusilla Patrick.  When the probation officer received information that Charles Patrick re-married unexpectedly, he questioned Patrick about Drusilla Patrick and received conflicting statements.  Subsequently, United States Probation compared information that a GCSO Sex Offender Compliance Officer received from Patrick & realized that there were additional discrepancies and cause for concern.

Agents from the GBI and Detectives from GCSO began an investigation which revealed that Drusilla Patrick was last seen alive between December 2016 and January 2017.  The investigation further revealed that Charles Patrick had given a variety of reasons for Drusilla Patrick’s absence to several different people, each contradictory to the other.  Drusilla Patrick was determined not to be Patrick’s legal wife, as the two were divorced in 1970.

On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, the GBI and GCSO executed a search warrant at the Patrick home on Ridgemont Drive in Ellijay, Georgia which extended into Thursday.  On Thursday, human remains believed to be those of Drusilla Patrick were located on the property. 

Patrick is currently being housed at the Gilmer County Detention Center.  Additional charges are forthcoming. 

Upon completion of the investigation, the case will be provided to the Appalachian District Attorney for prosecution. 

The autopsy for Drusilla Patrick was completed at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday, April 27, 2018.  The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.  A formal forensic identification of Drusilla Patrick is pending. 

Kimberly Williams - Special Agent in Charge | Cleveland | [email protected]