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Son of prominent Senoia grocer found shot in head; deputies seek high-roofed van

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizen.com

Tragedy struck the little town of Senoia Friday with the death of Crook’s Tire Center owner Ken Crook. A spokesman for Coweta Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday the 40-year-old Crook was found in his home, a victim of a fatal gunshot wound late Friday afternoon.

Though reports from Georgia Bureau of Investigation have not been received, Crook was believed to have received a fatal gunshot wound to the head sometime late Friday afternoon, according to Coweta County Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Maj. Jim Yarbrough.

Yarbrough said authorities are looking for a white or cream colored van with an elevated roof that was seen earlier Friday at Crook’s residence. The van may be a Ford, he said.

Sketches of the van provided by Coweta Sheriff’s Office show two renditions of a high-roof conversion van or a utility-type van with an extended roof. The van is thought to have few windows in the passenger area.

Yarbrough added that law enforcement is looking at several different avenues regarding the homicide and is following up on leads based on several phone calls the sheriff’s office has received about the van. Yarbrough said the possibility exists that undisclosed items might have been taken from the residence located just outside Senoia.

Yarbrough said that homicides in Coweta are rare. He asked that anyone with information relating to the homicide contact Coweta County Sheriff’s Office at 770-253-1502.

Crook was the son of Ellis Crook, prominent in the Senoia community and the owner of several businesses spanning 50 years, including for many years the only supermarket in Senoia.

Speaking Monday, Crook’s sister Cheryl Thompson spoke of her brother, his outlook and his participation in life through 40 brief years. The kindness that defined his life is now being acknowledged by the many friends and neighbors that have been so wonderful to us, she said.

“Ken was the most easy-going person, to the point of never raising his voice or getting angry. He would give you the shirt off his back and the last dollar in his wallet, and that’s not cliche,” Thompson said, the expression of her love and respect for her brother that were woven into her words were unmistakable. “He was very much the peacemaker, he didn’t want anyone to be upset, he just wanted everyone to be happy. He didn’t talk a lot but he was a good listener and a good companion. He did what we are all supposed to do, he loved his neighbor as himself.”

The funeral will be held today at 2 p.m. at Senoia United Methodist Church. A graveside service will follow.