On a tragic day in December 2015, Michelle Ware, a 39-year-old woman from Hephzibah, Georgia, lost her life in a violent encounter. The incident that led to her death unfolded in her own home, forever altering the lives of her children who were present at the time.
The events of that day culminated in Michelle's husband, Robert Ware, shooting her. In the immediate aftermath, Ware fled the residence.
Michelle's nineteen-year-old daughter discovered her mother on the floor, unresponsive and bleeding. Despite her daughter's attempts to resuscitate her and a call to 911, Michelle succumbed to her injuries. When law enforcement arrived, they were told by the daughter that Ware had killed her mother.
Authorities quickly issued a 'be on the lookout' for Robert Ware. Later that same night, a Georgia state trooper spotted his vehicle in Washington, Georgia. A high-speed pursuit ensued, which ended with Ware's surrender and arrest. Inside his vehicle, police discovered the firearm that was later confirmed to be the weapon used in Michelle's death. During his trial, Ware admitted to shooting his wife, stating that she had told him she was in love with someone else.
In March of 2016, a grand jury in Richmond County indicted Robert Ware on charges of malice murder, felony murder predicated on aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and cruelty to children in the third degree. His trial took place in February 2017. The jury found him not guilty of malice murder but convicted him on all other counts. An appeal was later filed, but the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the conviction.
