Local News
52-year-old Harmon V. Lavender was reportedly stabbed to death at the Sun Suites extended stay hotel in Gainesville Sunday, January 11, 2015.
According to Fox News Atlanta, Mr. Lavender was staying at the Sun Suites hotel on Jessee Jewell Parkway in Gainesville. Sun Suites hotel staff apparently went to check on Mr. Lavender when he failed to pay his weekly rent. Per media reports, the employee discovered the body of Mr. Lavender inside his hotel room. Autopsy results reportedly reveal Mr. Lavender died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Gainesville police have not announced whether robbery may have been a motive in the horrific assault. Authorities are still searching for a suspect.
Our Legal Take
As police continue to search for a suspect and motive, The Murray Law Firm is questioning whether a fatal security lapse at the Sun Suites hotel may also have contributed to this tragedy.
Hotel security apparently described the crime scene to media, raising concerns over security training and procedures at the hotel. Where was hotel security and management at the time of the stabbing? Do hotel logs indicate frequent security rounds on Mr. Lavender’s floor on the night of the stabbing? Is there security footage of the area outside Mr. Lavender’s hotel room and, if so, who was monitoring these cameras at the time of the murder?
How did the assailant gain access to Mr. Lavender’s hotel room? What property access controls, such as gated entry, surveillance cameras, and security patrols, were in place at the time of the stabbing? What individual hotel room access-controls, such as deadbolts, doorway security bars, and bright exterior lighting, were available to Mr. Lavender?
Have there been previous incidents of violence on or near property and, if so, what efforts were made by the hotel owner and management to protect guests and deter future crime?
By law, Georgia hotel owners are required to protect all guests legally on their premises from any foreseeable harm. Should a hotel owner have knowledge of previous crime on or near property, they may have a duty to implement extraordinary security measures to protect guests from future violence. If they fail in this duty, they may be held liable for any deaths or injuries that occur as a consequence.
Should the Sun Suites hotel be found at fault for failing to adequately protect Harmon Lavender, his family may elect to hold the hotel owner and management civilly liable for his wrongful death. Claims of this magnitude, potentially in the millions of dollars, will demand Sun Suites reevaluate security measures and serve as a grave message to all Gainesville hotel owners on the need to make guest safety their first priority.
Photographs and a thorough inspection of the property will need to be performed before any evidence, such as security logs, surveillance footage, or broken lighting, is repaired, damaged or destroyed. The family of Mr. Lavender should seek an experienced premises liability firm without delay to ensure all evidence is preserved and their best interests are protected.
The Murray Law Firm works tirelessly to protect victims of hotel negligence and we offer our legal expertise, if needed. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us at 404.842.1600. Consultations are free and confidential.
