In the early hours of March 1, 2018, the life of 34-year-old Zoanne Fullhart, a White/Caucasian female from Decorah, Iowa, was tragically cut short in Cresco, Iowa. The events unfolded at a residence on South Elm Street, where officers responded to a 911 call about a shooting at approximately 1:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, they were met by a tense and dangerous situation.
Inside the home, Zoanne's husband, Brian Fullhart, also 34 years old, had barricaded himself.
He was uncooperative and threatened to shoot the officers, leading to a standoff that would last for several hours. It wasn’t until 6:45 a.m. that law enforcement was able to take him into custody. When officers finally entered the residence, they discovered Zoanne’s body.
The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of the final moments of Zoanne’s life. It was revealed that she had been shot in the head. Court records and trial testimony would later indicate that the murder was premeditated, fueled by Brian's rage over Zoanne's desire for a divorce. A witness testified that weeks before the shooting, Brian had told Zoanne that if she wanted a divorce, she was dead. On that fateful night, he forced her to kneel before he killed her. After the murder and during the standoff, he used a bow to fire arrows at the officers outside.
Brian Fullhart was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent. His trial began in July 2019, and the jury needed only about an hour and a half of deliberation to find him guilty. During the trial, his defense attorney argued for a lesser charge of second-degree murder, claiming Brian was suffering from psychosis. However, the prosecution successfully argued that the act was willful, deliberate, and premeditated. In August 2019, Brian Fullhart was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, Zoanne's family members gave victim impact statements, remembering her as a beautiful person both inside and out, whose life was brutally taken.
