In a quiet Suwanee, Georgia, home on July 22, 2015, the lives of a family were irrevocably shattered. Nine-year-old Jacob Jerry Dean Smith, a male student at Johns Creek Elementary School, was tragically killed in a violent rampage. His life, full of the promise of childhood, was cut short as he slept in his bed.
The horrific events of that day unfolded when Matthew Kyle Fields, the stepfather of Jacob and his eight-year-old brother, Jared Will Smith, opened fire on the family. Both Jacob and Jared were killed in their beds. Their mother, 37-year-old Rebecca Jo 'Beckie' Manning, was also shot and, despite her efforts to get help by crawling onto the front porch, she succumbed to her injuries after being transported to a hospital. The boys' maternal grandfather, 75-year-old Jerry David Manning, was also shot multiple times but survived the initial attack, remaining in critical condition.
Law enforcement who arrived at the scene discovered the two deceased brothers and Fields, who had taken his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the devastating murder-suicide is believed to have stemmed from Manning's desire to seek a divorce from Fields. Prior to the shooting, deputies had responded to a domestic dispute at the residence, though it was described as a verbal altercation at the time.
The community was left to mourn the profound loss of the two young brothers and their mother. A memorial service was held to honor the lives of Rebecca Manning and her sons, Jacob and Jared. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to help with the final expenses. The tragic event left a lasting scar on the Suwanee community, a grim reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence.
