In the late hours of November 23, 2022, a domestic dispute in a Leesburg, Georgia, home ended in the tragic death of Mario McCray. The 33-year-old African American male was shot and killed inside a residence on Gabriel Court. Others, including a woman and children, were present in the home at the time of the shooting but were not physically harmed.
The primary suspect was identified as 28-year-old Carlistra Dee Tennille. Following the incident, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued a public alert, cautioning that Tennille might be armed and dangerous. She was described as being 5'2' tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds, with brown eyes, and was believed to be in the Albany, Georgia, area. The search for Tennille concluded on December 1, 2022, when she turned herself in to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
The subsequent investigation by the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff's Office revealed that the fatal shooting was the result of an altercation between McCray and Tennille. In March 2025, a jury found Carlistra Tennille guilty of murder, aggravated assault, family violence, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Judge Jimmy Brown sentenced Tennille to life in prison, with the requirement that she serve 25 years.
