On a tragic Monday morning in Lebanon, Tennessee, the lives of 31-year-old Marie Sisco Varsos and her 60-year-old mother, Deborah Sisco, were cut short in a violent outburst of domestic strife. The perpetrator was Marie's estranged husband, 36-year-old Shaun Varsos, who authorities say broke into Deborah's home on Whispering Oaks Drive armed with a shotgun on April 12, 2021.
The events of that morning were the culmination of a volatile period in the couple's relationship.
Marie had been staying with her mother after filing for divorce from Shaun on March 4 of that year. Just days later, on March 8, she sought and was granted an order of protection against him. This legal step was prompted by a harrowing incident on March 11, when Shaun allegedly strangled his wife and threatened her with a handgun, leading to his arrest on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment. Despite the severity of these charges, he was released on a $3,000 bond.
On that fateful April morning, after forcing his way into the residence, Shaun Varsos was reportedly shot and injured during the ensuing confrontation. Tragically, he still managed to fatally shoot both Marie and her mother. Following the murders, Shaun fled the scene in a rented Nissan Pathfinder. A manhunt ensued, and law enforcement later located him in the vehicle near his own home in the Bellevue area of Nashville. Inside, they discovered him deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Minutes before the killings, Shaun Varsos had posted what appeared to be a suicide note on his Facebook page. The grim message alluded to his strained relationship with Marie. The tragedy sent shockwaves through the community and highlighted systemic failures in protecting victims of domestic violence. It was later revealed that a hearing for a more permanent order of protection had been scheduled but was postponed at Shaun's request. The case has since prompted calls for stronger legal safeguards for individuals in similar perilous situations.
