Ga. doctor shot and killed in office; ex-wife charged

<p>A south Georgia ophthalmologist was killed Friday morning in his Waycross medical office as patients waited for their appointments.</p><p>L. Davis Jacobs, 68, was shot at least once in the chest about 10 a.m. in his office near the Satilla Regional Medical Center while at least 10 people were in his office, police said.</p><p>His ex-wife, 66-year-old Betty Jo Jacobs, was arrested in the front lobby of the office after the shooting and charged with murder, said Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner.</p><p>"We have not determined the motive other than it was domestic in nature," Tanner said.</p><p>The couple had a troubled marriage that officially ended in May, relatives, friends and colleagues told the Georgia Times-Union. But Tanner said no threats involving the couple had been reported to police before the shooting.</p><p>Elden Thomas, who is Jacobs' cousin, was in the office when the shooting took place.</p><p>He said the doctor had just dilated a patient's eyes and left the examining room. "Then I heard one shot and somebody yell, and I heard another shot," he said.</p><p>He said he opened the door and saw Jacobs' body lying in the hall.</p><p>Betty Jacobs filed for divorce March 22, 2005, saying the marriage was irretrievably broken, according to court records.</p><p>Deputy Ware County Coroner Terry Anderson, a longtime friend, pronounced Jacobs dead at the scene.</p><p>"This is absolutely horrible. I've known him all my life, and he was one of the nicest men you'd ever meet," said Anderson.</p><p>Patients recalled Jacobs as a kind and reassuring professional who was particularly good at calming the fears of children.</p><p>"This is a big loss to our community," Anderson said. "He would do things to help people, but it would be behind the scenes. He kept a low profile and didn't want publicity for himself."</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2dec0b8)</p>