In the summer of 1986, the life of 41-year-old Laura Lynn Smith Moorer came to a tragic and violent end in Jackson, Alabama. A woman known for her beautiful voice and vibrant personality, she found herself in a tumultuous and abusive marriage with Vernon Franklin Moorer. He was a man plagued by his own unfulfilled musical aspirations and a dependency on alcohol, which often manifested in rage and violence directed at his wife.
The couple’s turbulent relationship was a source of
constant fear for their two daughters, Shelby and Allison. In an attempt to escape the abuse, Laura had recently separated from her husband. However, in the early morning hours of August 12, 1986, while his daughters were asleep in their home, Vernon Moorer drove to the residence. He then shot and killed his estranged wife on the front lawn before turning the gun on himself, ending his own life.
The horrific event was a murder-suicide, with Vernon Franklin Moorer identified as the perpetrator. As he died at the scene, no arrest was made in connection with Laura Lynn Smith Moorer's death. The devastating incident left their two daughters orphaned and profoundly impacted their lives, a subject one of them, singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, would later explore in her memoir, 'Blood.'
