Evelyn C. Johnson, an 88-year-old woman from Waverly, Tennessee, died on January 2, 2026, in a heart-wrenching event that claimed the lives of three other family members. The Humphreys County Sheriff's Office discovered the bodies of Evelyn, her great-grandsons Arius Thompson, age 4, and Isaiah Johnson, age 13, and her granddaughter, Heather Thompson, age 32, at a residence on East Little Richland Avenue after conducting a welfare check.
All four individuals were found to have died from gunshot wounds.
Investigators have determined that the incident was a murder-suicide. It is believed that Heather Thompson, a nurse practitioner at a local hospital, shot her two sons and her grandmother, Evelyn, before taking her own life. Authorities have stated that there were no signs of forced entry into the home and that they are not seeking any other suspects in connection with the deaths. At the time of the incident, the boys' father, who was also the stepfather of Isaiah, was out of state. Officials have not found any prior records of domestic violence or mental health-related calls to the residence and have not disclosed a motive for the killings. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office in the ongoing investigation.
Evelyn Johnson was born on February 10, 1937, in Waverly and had spent her life in the community. She was a retired machine operator from the Acme Boot Company. Her obituary describes her as a woman who found great joy in her family, particularly her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as in tending to her yard and cooking for her loved ones. The small, close-knit community of Waverly has been left in shock and mourning by the tragic loss of the four family members.
