In a tragic and horrifying turn of events, Vanessa Regina Soyer, a 47-year-old African American woman and published author who often wrote about the complexities of domestic violence, became a victim of the very issue she sought to illuminate. On November 16, 2015, her life was cut short in her Lawrenceville, Georgia apartment, a place that should have been her sanctuary.
She was a mother and an author who dedicated her work to exploring life's challenges and overcoming them.
The day of the incident unfolded from a domestic dispute. Vanessa had recently returned from a trip to New York where she was contemplating the future of her marriage, considering either a separation or divorce. An argument with her husband, Sheldon Soyer, escalated to a devastating conclusion. In a chilling act, he called their 13-year-old son into the bedroom, pushed Vanessa to the floor, and shot her multiple times with a 9-millimeter handgun. The young boy tragically witnessed the horrific event before managing to escape and seek help. After the shooting, Sheldon Soyer fled the scene, prompting a temporary lockdown at the nearby Georgia Gwinnett College.
Following the murder, a manhunt for Sheldon Soyer ensued. He was apprehended the next day without incident at a gas station at the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway and Old Norcross Road. Initially, he was charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of felony murder. As the case proceeded, Sheldon Soyer ultimately pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. This plea came as a jury was being assembled for his trial. For his crimes, he was sentenced to life in prison, with an additional five years. During the sentencing, a heart-wrenching testimony was provided by their son, who expressed the profound grief of losing his mother at such a young age.
