( CNN ) A former cop `` disenfranchised with law enforcement '' and known to own `` a lot of guns '' is accused of killing his ex-wife before ambushing a sheriff and deputy who responded to the scene , a Georgia Bureau of Investigation official said Monday . The deaths appear to have resulted from a `` long-simmering domestic dispute , '' Rusty Andrews , the Georgia Bureau of Investigation 's deputy director of investigations , told reporters . Anthony Giaquinta , an ex-military contractor and a former law enforcement officer with the Gainesville Police Department and Habersham County Sheriff 's Office , was found dead from what police believe was an exchange of gunfire with a deputy . Giaquinta 's 16-year-old daughter and her boyfriend were at the house outside Clarkesville when Giaquinta arrived and produced a gun . She heard gunshots , saw her mom dead , called 911 and fled , Andrews told reporters . Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell , Deputy Bill Zigan and a second unnamed deputy responded to the scene and found Kathy Giaquinta Smith dead in the garage , Andrews said . Terrell and the second deputy entered the house to search it , while Zigan secured the garage entrance in case Giaquinta returned , Andrews said . There , Zigan was `` likely ambushed from a position Giaquinta had taken '' in a nearby wooded area , he said . Struck by multiple bullets from Giaquinta 's Glock 9-millimeter , Zigan took cover between two vehicles inside the garage . Terrell and the other deputy entered the garage after hearing gunshots , and Giaquinta fired again from a position to the side of the garage door , striking Terrell in the bicep , Andrews said . The second deputy then exchanged gunfire with Giaquinta , Andrews said . The officers called for backup , and after setting up a perimeter around the home , they found Giaquinta 's body in the back yard . There was no sign of a self-inflicted gunshot wound , and it appears he was killed by the `` return fire by law enforcement , '' Andrews said . The medical examiner will make the final determination on Giaquinta 's cause of death . Also in the yard was the body of Steve Singleton , a 45-year-old Flowery Branch man who police believe `` had some type of friendship with Kathy Giaquinta Smith , '' Andrews said . It 's unclear how Singleton died . The sequence of events remains unclear , but early indications are that Singleton was killed before police arrived . Terrell was released from the Northeast Georgia Medical Center late Sunday , and Zigan remains in the hospital for `` further treatment and observation , '' County Manager Phillip Sutton said Monday morning , adding that he 's `` hopeful that he will be released soon . '' The alleged shooter is a former Gainesville police dog handler who also worked for the Habersham County Sheriff 's Office , Andrews said . He left the sheriff 's office to take an overseas position as a military contractor and returned to the Habersham County force before being terminated in June 2013 following an allegation of domestic violence , Andrews said . That allegation was never adjudicated , he said . Though there had been no previous reports of gun activity involving Giaquinta , Andrews said it was `` well-known that Anthony had a lot of guns in his possession . '' Andrews said he was unaware of any bad blood among Giaquinta and the sheriff and deputies who responded , but Giaquinta was `` disenfranchised with law enforcement in general . '' Terrell `` was asked to go there to help with the situation , '' Sutton said , though he did n't say why the sheriff was requested at the scene . On Sunday , Sutton told CNN affiliate WSB-TV that the sheriff responded to the call `` probably because he knew the person who was involved in the incident '' and because he thought he could calm down Giaquinta . The Habersham County Sheriff 's Office made national headlines last year after the department SWAT unit , based on word from an informant , conducted a drug raid at a house , throwing a flash-bang grenade and seriously burning a 19-month-old baby . In that case , officers did not find the drugs they were seeking at the house , only methamphetamine residue . Habersham County is about 85 miles north of Atlanta . CNN 's Karan Olson and Paul Matadeen contributed to this report .
`` Long-simmering domestic dispute '' turned deadly , GBI says . The incident began when a man and woman got into an argument at the home of their neighbor in the 2600 block of South State Street around 1:30 a.m. on April 20. The alleged shooter was later found dead after shootout , investigator says .