Husband Surrenders in Beating Death of Kimberly Burton

The man wanted for allegedly beating his wife to death will appear in a Cherokee County court on Monday after surrendering to authorities in Mexico this weekend.

Rodney Burton had been the prime suspect in the beating death of Kimberly Burton.

Burton's nude body was discovered in her home Jan. 19 in the 300 block of Arlington Circle in the Rivergreen subdivision, with the cause of death listed as “blunt force trauma” to the head. Burton had been employed in Canton as an optician.

Rodney Burton, 41, who is charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault, had been on the run in Mexico before turning himself in Saturday afternoon. He reportedly spent the last two months in Cancun and Cozumel.

Husband Now Suspect in Death of Canton Woman

Rodney Burton has gone from a person of interest to the prime suspect in the death of his wife, Canton resident Kimberly Burton, 39.

Authorities say Burton's nude body was discovered by a relative inside her Canton home on Arlington Circle, in the Green subdivision last Monday. Burton, who died of blunt force trauma to the head, was discovered after not reporting to work at an eye care center. She was a graduate of Mary Persons High School in Forsyth.

In light of the crime, Rodney Burton now faces charges of murder and aggravated assault.

Authorities say Burton, who has reportedly departed the country, left a Canton home in his wife's vehicle and drove to Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.