In the summer of 2015, a simmering family dispute in central Vermont erupted into a tragic and violent episode that left four people dead, including 48-year-old Rhonda Herring, a White/Caucasian female. On August 7, 2015, Rhonda, her sister Regina Herring, and their mother Julie Ann Falzarano were shot and killed in their Berlin home. The horrific discovery was made the following day by Rhonda's daughter.
The perpetrator of this triple homicide was quickly identified as their cousin,
Jody Herring. The motive for the killings was rooted in a bitter child custody battle; Jody Herring believed her relatives had reported her to the state's Department for Children and Families, which led to her losing custody of her nine-year-old daughter. In her rage, she targeted her family members in what authorities would later describe as a calculated act of revenge.
After killing her three relatives, Jody Herring drove to Barre and fatally shot Lara Sobel, a social worker involved in her custody case, outside of her office. Herring was apprehended at the scene of the fourth murder. She was subsequently charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder.
Jody Herring ultimately pleaded guilty to all four murders. For the murder of Lara Sobel, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the murders of Rhonda Herring, Regina Herring, and Julie Ann Falzarano, she received a sentence of 20 years to life.
