In a tragic event on January 2, a mother is believed to have committed a quadruple murder-suicide by killing her two sons, her 88-year-old grandmother, and then herself. The father of the boys, Jeremiah Thompson, expressed his grief over losing his family members.
The bodies of Arius Thompson, 4, Isaiah Johnson, 13, Evelyn Johnson, 88, and Heather Thompson, 32, were discovered by deputies from the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office during a welfare check at a residence in Waverly, Tennessee. All four victims had gunshot wounds, and authorities suspect that Heather was responsible for the deaths.
Jeremiah Thompson, who was estranged from Heather, shared his devastation on social media, describing the loss of his sons as heartbreaking. Sheriff Chris Davis stated that there were no signs of forced entry at the scene, indicating that no one else was involved. He mentioned that there were no prior reports of domestic violence or mental health issues at the residence.
The sheriff, visibly emotional, assured the community that the investigation would be respectful to the families involved. Meanwhile, Jeremiah has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to bring his sons back to New Mexico, raising nearly $11,000 towards his goal.
In a separate incident, a young mother, Emma Rigdon, avoided prison time after pleading guilty to abusing her son. Rigdon admitted to suffocating, pinching, and slapping her child, leading to her conviction on child abuse charges. Despite the guilty plea, Rigdon was spared a prison sentence but must comply with specific conditions as part of her plea deal.