AUGUSTA, Ga. — A woman who was recently granted immunity after shooting her abusive husband in self-defense has now been killed—along with her mother—by that same man in what investigators are calling a domestic-related double homicide.

The victims have been identified as Melissa Cui Domingo, 37, and her mother, Elizabeth Cui Domingo, 74.

Both were fatally shot Sunday evening in the parking lot of Best Buy off Walton Way Extension in Augusta, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO).

The alleged shooter, 37-year-old Hajir Talebzadeh, Melissa’s ex-husband, was the man she shot in 2021 during a violent confrontation and accused of subjecting her to years of domestic abuse.

Authorities say the incident unfolded during a custody exchange involving the couple’s 5-year-old child, who was present during the shooting but was not physically harmed.

The child is now in the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services.

The first 911 calls were received around 6:12 p.m. Sunday, reporting gunfire at the busy retail complex. Deputies arrived within minutes and discovered Melissa and Elizabeth Domingo suffering from gunshot wounds.

Both were pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m. by Deputy Coroner John Rutland.

Talebzadeh was also found injured with a wound of unknown severity and was transported to Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center, where he is reported to be in stable condition. Investigators have obtained murder warrants, and he will be booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center upon release from the hospital.

The killings occurred less than a month after a Richmond County judge dismissed all charges against Melissa Domingo stemming from the 2021 shooting of Talebzadeh inside their home.

At that time, Superior Court Judge Jesse Stone ruled that Melissa acted in lawful self-defense after enduring years of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. The court accepted expert testimony that Melissa suffered from Battered Person Syndrome, PTSD, panic disorder, and Stockholm Syndrome. Multiple family members testified to Talebzadeh’s violent and controlling behavior, warning that they feared for her life the night she shot him.

Investigators also noted that their residence was filled with unsecured, loaded firearms and that Talebzadeh had been armed during the confrontation. Although he sustained multiple gunshot wounds, he survived the 2021 incident.

Judge Stone ultimately applied Georgia’s “transferred justification” doctrine, ruling Melissa’s use of force was legally protected even if others were unintentionally endangered in the act of defending herself.

Sheriff’s officials have emphasized that Sunday’s shooting was domestic in nature and does not pose a threat to the wider community.

“This was a senseless tragedy that unfolded in front of a child,” said RCSO Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard. “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted, especially the child who will now grow up without both parents.”

Sheriff Gino Brantley also released a statement, saying:
“No child should ever have to experience such trauma. As a community, we must come together to support him and others who are affected. Violence is never the answer—it only leaves behind grief, pain, and broken families.”

The Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit provided aerial support during the emergency response, using thermal imaging to help secure the scene. Multiple local and state agencies assisted in the rapid deployment.

Talebzadeh is facing multiple counts of murder, and the investigation remains ongoing.