Hajir Talebzadeh, the Augusta man accused of killing his ex-wife and her mother during a custody exchange outside a west Augusta Best Buy, has been formally booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
He was transferred Monday from Wellstar MCG Health Hospital, where he had been treated for head injuries sustained during the Sept. 7 shooting.
Talebzadeh, 41, is now facing two counts of murder and one count of cruelty to children in the first degree, due to the killings taking place in front of his 5-year-old son, Michael. The child, who was reportedly found covered in blood but physically unharmed, is now in the custody of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).
Authorities say the shooting occurred during a court-ordered custody handoff between Talebzadeh and his ex-wife, Melissa Cui Domingo, 32, of Evans. Her mother, Elizabeth Cui Domingo, 74, had accompanied her to the exchange when both women were allegedly gunned down in front of the child. All three adults were outside of their vehicles at the time, in violation of court orders requiring silent, in-car exchanges or police presence.
Talebzadeh sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, though investigators have not confirmed whether they were self-inflicted or the result of another struggle. After several days of treatment under law enforcement watch at Wellstar MCG, he was cleared for release and immediately taken into sheriff’s custody.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Talebzadeh will be housed in the medical unit of the detention center pending further evaluation. No bond has been set as of Monday afternoon. The charges against him are expected to proceed through the grand jury process in the coming weeks.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation continues to assist local authorities in the case, which has gripped the Augusta community and raised renewed scrutiny over the family court system’s handling of domestic violence and custody disputes. A review of court records revealed Talebzadeh had a documented history of PTSD, court-ordered domestic violence counseling, and previous threats of violence, all known to the court prior to the fatal shooting.
