On Saturday, December 6, 2025, a quiet afternoon in Powder Springs, Georgia, turned tragic for a local couple returning home from a birthday celebration. John Wells, a 73-year-old male, and his wife, 72-year-old Monica Brookins, arrived at their residence on Yoshino Terrace around 12:30 p.m., having just spent time celebrating John's birthday. The couple, described by neighbors as warm and kind figures in the community, walked into their home unaware of the danger waiting inside.
As Monica Brookins entered the house first, she was immediately confronted by gunfire. Investigators state that her biological son and John’s stepson, 31-year-old Martin Duberry, shot her in the head as she walked through the door. When John Wells followed her inside, Duberry allegedly turned the weapon on him, shooting his stepfather in the head as well. Police reports indicate that Duberry continued to fire at the couple after they had fallen, with later examinations revealing that Monica had been struck a total of five times, including wounds to her abdomen, while John sustained three gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting, Duberry placed a call to Cobb County dispatchers himself to report the incident. When officers from the Powder Springs Police Department arrived at the scene, they found Duberry waiting, and he was taken into custody without further violence. He reportedly told detectives that he committed the act because he was "tired of them" and "just wanted to be alone." Both victims were transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to their injuries shortly after arrival. Duberry was subsequently charged with two counts of felony murder, eight counts of aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
