In the quiet suburb of Powder Springs, Georgia, a day of celebration turned into a scene of unimaginable tragedy. On December 6, 2025, 72-year-old Monica Brookins and her 73-year-old husband, John Wells, were returning home after celebrating Wells' birthday. As they walked through the door of their Yoshino Terrace home, they were met with a burst of violence that would end their lives. The couple was shot multiple times in what police have described as a domestic-related incident. First responders rushed them to a nearby hospital, but their injuries proved to be fatal.
The alleged perpetrator of this shocking act was not a stranger but a member of their own family. Monica's son and John's stepson, 31-year-old Martin Duberry, who lived with the couple, was quickly identified as the suspect. In a chilling turn of events, it was Duberry himself who called 911 to report the shooting, allegedly confessing to the dispatcher that he had shot his parents. According to arrest warrants, as his mother entered the house, Duberry shot her in the head before turning the gun on his stepfather. He reportedly continued to fire, shooting Brookins a total of five times and Wells three times.
Following the incident, Martin Duberry was arrested and taken into custody at the Cobb County Jail. He faces a litany of charges, including two counts of murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault and aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. The motive, as stated in the warrants, was as senseless as the crime itself; Duberry allegedly told investigators he killed his mother and stepfather because he was "tired of them" and "just wanted to be alone."
The violent deaths of Monica Brookins and John Wells sent shockwaves through their peaceful neighborhood. Neighbors remembered the couple as warm, kind, and friendly individuals who were well-liked within the community. Brookins was an active member of the neighborhood's homeowner's association. The tragic loss of the beloved couple has left their community grappling with the devastating and sudden violence that shattered the holiday season.
