Marietta Man Mario Nathaniel Dorce charged in mom's murder

A Marietta man is charged with murder in the death of a woman believed to be his mother.

Mario Nathaniel Dorce, 23, is in the Cobb County jail awaiting a first appearance hearing for the shooting death of 52-year-old May Carole Whitty, Cobb County police said Sunday.

Neighbors told GA Daily News that Whitty is Dorce's mother, but a Cobb police spokesman could not confirm that information Sunday.

Officers responded to the scene at the victim's home, located in the 2600 block of Tritt Springs Trace, at about 9 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Whitty's body was found inside the home with "obvious signs of trauma," police said in a press release.

GA Daily News reports the suspect was acting unusual Friday and Saturday.

Friday night, Dorce asked a neighbor if he could spend the night at their home

”We said ‘We don’t really know you. We would prefer that you went to a neighbor that knew you a little better, maybe they’d be able to help you out,’ neighbor Shaun Simms said.

While under arrest Saturday, the ”suspect was back in the cop car laughing, smiling, joking, um, singing songs and just acting a little crazy, Simms said.