An employee believed responsible for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Gainesville auto dealership died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
GBI spokesman Scott Dutton said preliminary findings point to suicide as the cause of death for Belen Rubio, 57, of Statham.
Rubio, a longtime employee of Carriage Auto Group, had been identified as a suspect in the thefts last week.
Gainesville Police Sgt. Kevin Holbrook said officials from Carriage called police about the suspected thefts on January 18. He said investigators determined there was enough evidence to serve arrest warrants on Rubio.
"The warrants were for felony theft," said Holbrook. "The warrants were handed over to the Hall County Sheriff's Office."
The sheriff's office confirmed deputies - along with officers from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office - went to Rubio's home on Thursday, January 21 to serve the warrants. She is believed to have shot herself as authorities stood outside the house.
Holbrook said investigators did not pinpoint the exact amount of money that had been embezzled from the auto dealership, noting only that the amount was "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Officials with Carriage Auto Group issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, but did not directly address the theft.
"At this time Carriage Automotive Group is going through a difficult time after the loss of a long time employee. Thank you to Hall County and Northeast Georgia for their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."
The GBI said its investigation into the case is continuing.
