Deonna Lynn Wood Hiatt, a 19-year-old woman from Mount Airy, North Carolina, tragically lost her life on January 12, 2009. She was a full-time student at Surry Community College and worked at Wal-Mart. Deonna was also a member of Shining Light Baptist Church and had a daughter, Emilee Jade Hiatt, and a son, Michael Troy Hiatt.
The circumstances surrounding Deonna's death were particularly harrowing.
She was shot by her estranged husband, Christopher Scott Hiatt, who was 26 years old at the time. The incident occurred after Deonna had sought a domestic-violence protective order against Scott, citing instances of harassment and physical abuse. Unfortunately, she did not attend the court hearing, and the case was dismissed.
On the night of her death, Scott Hiatt attempted to bury Deonna's body in a shallow grave using a backhoe tractor he had taken from a paving business. When sheriff's deputies arrived to investigate a report of a break-in, they found Deonna shot and her legs bound with a leather jacket inside her pickup truck. Scott Hiatt fled into the woods but was later apprehended after a shootout with law enforcement, during which he was wounded.
Scott Hiatt was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Deonna's death. The couple had a history of domestic violence, and Deonna's family had expressed concerns about her safety prior to the incident.
Deonna's death was a tragic and senseless act that highlighted the serious issue of domestic violence. Her family and community mourned the loss of a young woman who had so much potential and was deeply loved by those around her.
