Christopher Hallett, a 50-year-old white male from Ocala, Florida, was tragically murdered on November 15, 2020. Hallett was found dead in his home on SW 34th Court Road in Marion Oaks, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The incident occurred around 9 p.m., and responding deputies discovered Hallett's body on the kitchen floor. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing what sounded like firecrackers before finding Hallett with a pained expression and Neely Raye Pesognellie
Petrie-Blanchard, a 37-year-old white female, standing over him with a gun.
Petrie-Blanchard, who was associated with the Sovereign Citizen and QAnon movements, had enlisted Hallett's help in a desperate attempt to regain custody of her children. However, she believed that Hallett was working against her or with the government to keep her children away. This belief led her to shoot Hallett multiple times. After the shooting, Petrie-Blanchard aimed the gun at two witnesses, a woman and her juvenile daughter, but the firearm jammed, allowing them to escape.
Petrie-Blanchard fled the scene and was apprehended the following day in Lowndes County, Georgia. She was later indicted by a grand jury for first-degree premeditated murder with a firearm. During her trial, Petrie-Blanchard represented herself and was found guilty of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case highlighted the dangers associated with the Sovereign Citizen and QAnon movements, as well as the extreme measures individuals might take when involved in custody disputes.
