In the late spring of 2015, the life of Stephanie Diane Chandler Tanner, a 41-year-old woman from Rome, Georgia, was tragically cut short. On May 28th, what began as a visit to her estranged husband's home ended in a violent altercation that left her dead and her mother wounded.
Stephanie, accompanied by her mother, Beverly Broach, went to the residence of Dewayne David Tanner. An atmosphere of dread hung in the air, as Dewayne had recently acquired a gun, making Broach nervous enough to arm herself with her late father's hunting knife. Their fears were realized when Dewayne, after briefly leaving the room, returned and opened fire.
He first shot Broach in the arm and struck her with his pistol. Despite her injuries and pleas for him to stop, Dewayne turned his attention to Stephanie. As he pursued his estranged wife, who had fled the house, Broach managed to stab him in the back. Dewayne then shot his mother-in-law in the chest before continuing his chase. He caught up with Stephanie near her father's neighboring home, shooting her in the leg and then several more times, fatally wounding her.
After the shooting, Dewayne fled the scene. He was later discovered at Cartersville Medical Center, weakened from the stab wound he had sustained. He initially claimed his injury was from a suicide attempt but was soon taken into custody by the police.
Dewayne David Tanner was charged with the murder of his wife and the aggravated assault of his mother-in-law. In April 2017, he pleaded guilty to malice murder, aggravated assault with intent to murder, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 25 years. During the sentencing, it was revealed that Dewayne had a 'bloodbath list' of people he intended to kill, with Stephanie being the first. Prosecutors stated that he had stalked and spied on his wife after their separation, and his actions were driven by a possessive rage.
