In the quiet, suburban neighborhood of Chantilly, Virginia, a tragedy unfolded inside a home on Pennypacker Lane in the early morning hours of February 28, 2025. First responders, summoned by a distressing 911 call from the daughter of the residents, arrived shortly after 6 a.m. to a grim scene. Inside, they discovered 87-year-old Marilyn Sommer with fatal gunshot wounds to her upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident, which shattered the peace of the community, was immediately treated as a domestic-related homicide.
The suspect in the shooting was Marilyn's 88-year-old husband, Douglas Sommer. He was present in the house when police arrived and was taken into custody. Authorities later charged him with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Douglas Sommer was subsequently held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond. The couple's daughter, who had been inside the residence at the time of the shooting, was unharmed and provided a witness account to detectives.
As the investigation progressed, a motive behind the shocking act of violence began to emerge. The couple's daughter had been at the home to assist her parents with an impending move to an assisted living facility. This life change was reportedly a point of contention, and investigators believe an argument over the move escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. Douglas Sommer was allegedly unwilling to leave their home.
In October 2025, the case reached a significant development when Douglas Sommer, by then 89 years old, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and unlawful discharge of a firearm. Court documents revealed that he used a. 32 caliber pistol to shoot his wife five times in the head and chest as she slept in her recliner. After the shooting, he calmly admitted to the act when first responders arrived. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for July 9, 2026. Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano described the case as a tragic outcome for the entire family.
