In the small town of White Pine, Tennessee, on the evening of October 3, 2015, a dispute between two children over a puppy tragically ended the life of eight-year-old female, Maykayla Dyer. The fair-skinned girl, known for her love of the movie 'Frozen,' was playing outside her home in a trailer park when her 11-year-old neighbor, Benjamin Tiller, asked to see her new puppies.
When she refused his request, Tiller retrieved his father's 12-gauge shotgun from an unlocked closet and fired a single shot from his window, striking Maykayla in the chest.
Maykayla’s mother, Latasha Dyer, heard the gunshot and her other daughter's frantic screams. Rushing outside, she found Maykayla lying on the ground and held her as she passed away. The young girl was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after. The incident shook the small community of White Pine, which has a population of just over 2,000 residents.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Benjamin Tiller was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Due to his age, he was held in a juvenile detention center. The case proceeded through the juvenile court system, where Tiller was tried for the killing of Maykayla.
In February 2016, a judge found Benjamin Tiller guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to remain in the custody of the Department of Children's Services until he turns 19. In his ruling, the judge noted that a 'child who commits first-degree murder cannot be willy-nilly turned loose into society.' Following the criminal proceedings, Latasha Dyer filed a $10 million lawsuit against Tiller's parents, alleging their negligence contributed to her daughter's death.
