Bio

Cyrano Marks was born in 1960. As a young adult, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Cyrano had a history of violent behavior, particularly in his relationships with women. Police had been called to his home multiple times due to incidents of domestic violence. His girlfriend, Deleane Briskey, had reported problems in their relationship, including disputes with her ex-husband.

Murder Story

On July 12, 1999, Cyrano Marks drove to the house of his girlfriend, Deleane Briskey, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was upset because Deleane wanted to end their relationship. When he arrived, he shot Deleane Briskey and then went on to shoot her four children and her sister. The victims included Deleane, her children Craig, Tasha, David, and Antuan, and her sister Essie Jo.

After killing them, Cyrano Marks turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. The tragic event left the house filled with the aftermath of violence. The only survivor was 11-year-old Santonio Lucas, who was Deleane’s son. He had hidden in a closet for several hours after being shot in the elbow.

Santonio described how Cyrano had dragged him through the house as he killed his family. At one point, Cyrano found Santonio in the closet, put a pillow in front of him, and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed, allowing Santonio a moment to play dead. When he heard another shot, he stayed hidden until he felt it was safe to escape.

Eventually, Santonio ran to a neighbor's house to seek help. This horrific event shocked the community and highlighted the dangers of domestic violence.