ROME, Ga. — A man who killed his two landlords and then himself Sunday left behind a brief letter to his estranged wife, authorities said Monday.

The letter was found on Sanford "Sandy" Lee Stone's bed after he shot and killed Chris, 35, and Joy Ingram, 28, both of 814 Morrison Campground, with a .22-caliber, six-shot handgun, said John Blalock, Floyd County investigator.

(Sunday) we found a letter he had written and left on his bed with the eviction letter," Blalock said.

That letter, addressed to Shelley Stone and written on a notepad, read, in part, "Shelley, I'm sorry you weren't here to pull the trigger yourself … Love Sandy."

Blalock said it is unknown when the letter was written. Although the letter was addressed to Shelley Stone, he stressed "there's absolutely nothing pointing to her being involved in this whatsoever."

Shelley Stone had been separated from Sanford Stone for six weeks, and had lived at the 784 Floyd Springs Road residence in their time together, Blalock said. She told the investigator that Sanford Stone at one point had said "if she didn't come back to him, he might as well get a gun," though he never made direct suicide threats, the investigator said.

Just before 2 p.m. Sunday, the Ingrams took an eviction notice to 784 Floyd Springs Road location. Witnesses told police Joy Ingram entered the residence and they heard three shots. Chris Ingram then ran inside and there were three more shots.

While leaving the residence, Stone reloaded his weapon, Blalock said. "It appears he shot all six shots at the victims and reloaded in the house or on the way out," he said. Stone then ran approximately a half-mile south of his residence and killed himself, he added. Police found the body some two-and-a-half hours later.

Blalock said he feels the shootings were committed by a desperate man. "He had been unemployed. He wanted his wife to come back and was just about to lose his house."

In light of Sunday's tragedy, the Stone family extended their condolences to the Ingram family Monday. "It was a terrible tragedy that nobody saw coming," said Laura Padgett, Sanford Stone's cousin and family spokesperson. "We just want to say how sorry we are. Our heart goes out to (Joy) Ingram's 11-year-old daughter."

The two murders are the third and fourth Floyd County slayings recorded this year