Secretary Of State Employee Melissa Marlowe Arrested On Drug Charges

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Police confirmed to GA Daily News that an investigator for the Secretary of State’s office was involved in a shooting at her Cobb County home and now faces drug charges.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne went to Kennesaw to sort through court records and a police report. The documents indicated that a caller to 911 identified herself as Melissa Marlowe and stated she had just shot her husband in the torso after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at her.

Detectives said Marlowe’s husband, Ryan Eugene Marlowe, 36, survived the shooting and that no one was charged in the shooting. But investigators said Melissa Marlowe still went to jail on other charges -- possession of marijuana less-than-an-ounce and possession of drug paraphealia.

According to records obtained by Winne, a glass pipe containing suspected marijuana residue was behind a TV in the living room and in the master bedroom was a wooden box containing a digital scale, another pipe, suspected marijuana residue and more.

”Both subjects at the scene were charged with controlled substance, said Kennesaw Police Detective Mike Brock.

Winne went to the Marlowe’s home but no one answered. He also tried to reach Melissa Marlowe by phone through an attoey he thought was representing her and through an e-mail to a spokesman for the Secretary of State's office to no avail.

Winne also inquired in the e-mail about whether Melissa Marlowe has been placed on administrative leave or if any kind of action had been taken by the office. But the spokesman indicated by phone that the Secretary of State's office policy is to not comment on personnel matters.

Documents also indicated that a DeKalb County sheriff’s badge was also found.

DeKalb Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Adrion Bell said records show no one named Marlowe worked for the Sheriff’s Office in recent history, so a sheriff’s investigator will attempt to question both Marlowes about where the badge came from.

The Cobb County sheriff's website indicates that Melissa Marlowe made bond. The charges are misdemeanors.