In the quiet city of Provo, Utah, the life of Corry Don Fausett, a 55-year-old Caucasian male, came to a sudden and violent end on the evening of January 6, 2024. What began as a domestic disturbance call to police unraveled into a homicide investigation, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock. The tragic events unfolded within the walls of his own home, where he was found deceased by responding officers.
Just after 7:40 p.m.
that Saturday, Provo Police received a call from Melissa Johnson-Fausett, Corry's 56-year-old wife. When officers arrived at their residence in northwest Provo, they were met by Melissa on the front porch. Inside, they discovered Corry Fausett's body in a hallway near a bedroom. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including one to his right side, another to the back of his head, and two to the left side of his face. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Melissa Johnson-Fausett was immediately identified as the sole suspect and was taken into custody. During interviews with investigators, she claimed to have shot her husband in self-defense, stating that he had attacked her in the bedroom, grabbing her by the neck and hitting her on the head. She alleged that she grabbed a gun that was beside her on the bed and began firing. According to her account, as her husband attempted to leave the room, she followed, continuing to shoot until he collapsed. She expressed fear that he was going to another room to retrieve another weapon.
However, the evidence at the scene began to tell a different story, one that led investigators to question the claim of self-defense. The nature of the wounds, particularly the burn marks on his face indicating close-range shots, and damage to the floor beneath his body, suggested a shot may have been fired after he was already on the ground. A subsequent search of the home uncovered a gun with blood spatter in Melissa's purse. An examination of Melissa by medical personnel revealed no injuries consistent with her account of being attacked. Based on the discrepancies between her statement and the physical evidence, investigators concluded that the shooting was not an act of self-defense. Melissa Johnson-Fausett was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail on a charge of murder.
