Lilburn killings called drug-related

Gwinnett Police are investigating a drug-related shooting that left two men dead Friday at a house near Lilburn.

Officers went to the home on Village Green Court at around 10 p.m. after an anonymous 911 caller reported a shooting there, said department spokeswoman Cpl. Illana Spellman. Once inside, officers found the bodies of two men Teodolo Pacheco-Palacios, 33, of unknown address, and Erthis Eccles James, 33, of Covington. Neither of the men appeared to have ties to the house. Neighbors said it has been vacant for several months.

Police did not notify media about the homicides until four days after it happened. When asked about the delay on Tuesday, Spellman said, Its one of those things that kind of flew under the radar.

Spellman said local television news station had brought the case to her attention. A police report said drugs were involved in the crime, but neither it, nor Spellman, offered specifics.

Niana Hill, a block captain for the Village Green homeowners association, said she would have preferred the shootings go unreported to avoid damaging the neighborhoods reputation.

Were trying so hard and we want our neighborhood to be so good, Hill said Tuesday. Notice, none of us even called the media. We dont want our neighborhood to come to anybodys attention.

Dean Parker, who lives a few houses down from where the slayings occurred, said the Village Green community is tight-knit and safe. He was not worried that a killer is still on the loose.

There has only been about three break-ins in this neighborhood in the last 20 years, Parker said. I dont feel unsafe.