A custody handoff in a Best Buy parking lot ended in tragedy Sunday afternoon when a Georgia woman and her mother were gunned down, leaving a family shattered and a community questioning whether the system failed to protect them.

Authorities in Richmond County identified the victims as Melissa Cui Domingo, 41, and her mother, Elizabeth Cui Domingo, 74. Both were fatally shot during what should have been a routine exchange of Melissa’s five-year-old son. The boy was present when the shooting unfolded, according to investigators, and is now in state custody.

Police quickly arrested Melissa’s ex-husband, 41-year-old Hajir Talebzadeh, in connection with the killings. He has been charged with two counts of murder and one count of cruelty to a child.

Ironically, the shooting occurred days after a judge cleared Melissa of charges stemming from a 2021 incident when she shot Talebzadeh in the head. A judge dismissed the case after reviewing medical evaluations that diagnosed Melissa with battered woman syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder, stating that she acted in self defense.

Friends say Melissa tried to follow every instruction from the courts once her divorce from Talebzadeh was finalized in November 2024. Her friend, Ally Bodie, described her as someone who “did everything the right way.”

In the aftermath of Sunday’s shooting, Talebzadeh reportedly called 911 himself, claiming he fired in self-defense. Talebzadeh was treated briefly at a local medical center before being booked into jail, where he awaits further proceedings. Attorney information has not yet been released.

Courts often require these exchanges to happen in public places as a safety measure. Yet, for Melissa and her mother, even the relative openness of a store parking lot could not prevent the worst outcome.

An online obituary remembered the Domingos for their warmth and generosity. “Elizabeth and Melissa touched so many lives—always finding ways to embrace joy, celebrate family, and lift the spirits of others, even in the most difficult times,” it read.

The case now moves into the courts, but the loss is already permanent. A five-year-old boy has lost his mother and grandmother in one violent afternoon. For those who knew Melissa, her life and death have become another painful reminder of the gaps in a system that too often struggles to balance custody rights with the safety of abuse survivors.