On Christmas Day, a family celebration in Monroe, Georgia, turned into a scene of tragedy, ending the life of 35-year-old Tyeisha Colley. A beloved Black mother, wife, and high school teacher, she was fatally shot as she and her family were leaving her parents' home. Her husband of many years and childhood sweetheart, Jermaul Colley, a U.S. Army veteran, was also injured in the attack. The couple was preparing for a family trip to Disney with their four children.
The incident occurred just after 6 p.m. in the driveway of the family's home on Maple Way. Authorities arrived to find Tyeisha Colley deceased in her vehicle from multiple gunshot wounds. Her husband had also been shot but his injuries were not life-threatening, and he was released from the hospital later that day. The sudden violence unfolded without any preceding argument, leaving the family in a state of shock and disbelief.
Later that evening, police arrested the suspect, 21-year-old Devin Sullivan, who was identified as Tyeisha Colley's nephew. He was taken into custody at an apartment complex a couple of miles from the scene and was subsequently charged with murder and aggravated assault. Sullivan was booked into the Walton County Jail and was denied bond at his initial court appearance.
Family members described the relationship between Colley and her nephew as very close, stating that she had been like a second mother to him. They were unaware that Sullivan possessed a gun and have suggested that mental health issues may have played a role in the devastating event. Tyeisha Colley was remembered by her community and loved ones as a dedicated teacher at Salem High School, a woman of strong faith, and a devoted mother to her four children, three of whom were adopted before she gave birth to her youngest child.
