A wealthy female dentist has been charged with murdering her boyfriend, with patients of the accused killer fearing she ‘lived a double life’ on a picturesque island on the coast of Georgia.
Suzanne Mericle, a 61-year-old dentist, allegedly shot and killed her partner, James David Barron, 68, at their home in Gainesville, Georgia, an hour northeast of Atlanta.
Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at their home around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 8th, to find Barron deceased from a gunshot wound to the torso.
Authorities allege that Mericle, who is being held in the Hall County Jail, was at the scene of their shared Gainesville residence when deputies arrived
He was transported to the nearest hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Mericle is also facing charges of tampering with evidence, aggravated assault, and weapon possession.
She is being held without bond, but it is unclear whether she has yet entered a plea or obtained legal counsel.
Suzanne Mericle, a 61-year-old dentist from St. Simons Island, allegedly shot and killed her partner, James David Barron, 68, at their residence on Bayridge Drive in Gainesville, according to jail records
Mericle lived in a beautiful 3,900 square foot home on Bayridge Drive, which included four beds and five baths
St. Simons Island, Georgia, offers a charming and relaxed coastal lifestyle
Patients of her dental practice on St Simons Island feared she lived a ‘double life’ on the picturesque coastal enclave about about 83 miles south of Savannah.
Betty Newman, a client of Mirecle, said she is still in shock after hearing the allegations.
‘She had to be living a double life,’ she wrote on the HSCO Facebook Page. ‘She is/was my kids dentist. Literally had a appointment this Monday the 10th. Wild!’
‘That’s crazy and out of this world, and for a dentist at that,’ nearby employee, Frankie Johnson, told Action Jax News.
Mericle and her office were well known in the area, according to employees of nearby businesses.
‘It’s very shocking. You don’t know hear about stuff like that happening especially someone who’s so well known. It’s quite surprising,’ said Randall Dowling, kitchen manager at Southern Soul Smoke House.
As of 3:30 PM Monday, the company’s website has been taken down. Staff at Mericle Dentistry declined to comment but they told Action News Jax the business is still operating at regular hours.
One of Mericle’s clients, who wished to remain anonymous, told Action News Jax that the suspect is a mother of three.
Mericle ran, Mericle Dentistry, a dental practice on St. Simons Island
Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the scene around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 8th, to find Barron deceased from a gunshot wound to the torso
The the largest of of Georgia’s barrier islands, the 17 square mile St. Simons earned more awards and designations that any other destination in this year’s ‘Southern Living’ annual readers’ polls.
St. Simons Island, Georgia, was named by Southern Living as one of the 50 best beach towns in 2025, and is home to the best beach bar and two of the best seafood shacks.
‘With its four miles of soft, sandy shores, it’s easy to see how St. Simons Island earned its spot among our readers’ favorite beach towns,’ the publication gushed.
