In the quiet community of LaGrange, Georgia, a horrific scene unfolded in late January 2015, leaving a family and a community shattered. Sheila Burtron, a 68-year-old Caucasian woman, was found deceased in her home on Woodstream Trail. The discovery was made on the evening of Saturday, January 31st, after one of her husband's coworkers, concerned that he hadn't shown up for work for a few days, requested a welfare check. When Troup County sheriff's deputies arrived, they were met with a locked home and an eerie silence. After gaining entry with the help of firefighters, they uncovered a tragedy that would be described as one of the most shocking crimes in the area's history.
Inside, authorities found the bodies of Sheila and four other people. The victims were identified as Sheila's 69-year-old husband, William Burtron; their 33-year-old daughter, Christie Lee; their 16-year-old granddaughter, Bailey Burtron; and an 18-year-old family friend, Iiaonna Green. All five individuals resided in the home. Investigators determined that Sheila Burtron, her husband, their daughter Christie, and Iiaonna Green had all been shot. William Burtron had also been beaten. The youngest victim, Bailey Burtron, was found to have died from asphyxiation. Authorities believe the victims may have been killed as early as Wednesday, January 28th, several days before their discovery.
The investigation quickly focused on one individual: Thomas Jesse Lee, the 26-year-old husband of Christie Lee, who also lived at the residence. A manhunt was initiated for Lee, who was initially named a person of interest before being declared a suspect in the murders. Lee was believed to be driving an olive green Mazda Tribute. The search came to an end on February 2, 2015, when Lee was arrested without incident at a bus station in Tupelo, Mississippi, about 250 miles from the crime scene. His capture was aided by a local pastor who, unaware of Lee's identity, had helped him purchase a bus ticket to Alabama after Lee claimed to be having car trouble. The pastor later recognized Lee from news reports and contacted the police.
Following his extradition back to Georgia, Thomas Jesse Lee faced a litany of charges. In May 2015, a grand jury indicted him on 11 felony counts, including five counts of malice murder. Investigators suggested a possible motive, stating that Christie Lee's parents, William and Sheila Burtron, had become increasingly unhappy with Lee due to his financial instability and failure to uphold his responsibilities. Lee told investigators that he had intended to take his own life and blacked out after his stepdaughter, Bailey, walked in on him. In August 2015, to avoid a potential death penalty, Lee reached an agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murders and was sentenced to serve multiple life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole.
