In the quiet town of Brownsville, Tennessee, a domestic tragedy unfolded on the night of October 14, 2023, ending the life of 49-year-old Sharon Sangster Lee. A respected corrections officer for the Madison County Sheriff's Office for 12 years, Sharon's life was cut short in what authorities have described as a murder-suicide. The incident also resulted in the death of her husband, Anthonie Lee, a 32-year veteran of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
That evening, escalating marital problems between the couple reached a devastating climax. The Haywood County Sheriff's Office received a distress call around 10:30 p.m. from a woman who reported that Sharon's husband had pulled a gun on her. A friend of Sharon's later recounted to deputies that Sharon had confided in her throughout the day about her marital issues. The friend stated that during their final phone call around 10 p.m., Sharon said her husband had pointed a gun at her and threatened her life. The friend then overheard Anthonie Lee get on the phone and say he couldn't live without his wife, and if he couldn't have her, no one could.
Responding to the call, deputies arrived at the couple's home on TJ Mize Road to a grim scene. Inside a pickup truck parked on the property, they discovered both Sharon and Anthonie Lee deceased. Sharon had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while her husband had a single gunshot wound to the head. A handgun was found in his lap, leading investigators to conclude that Anthonie Lee had shot his wife before taking his own life. The Haywood County Sheriff's Office noted that there were no prior records of domestic-related calls to the residence, indicating the conflict had tragically and rapidly escalated that day. The investigation into the murder-suicide is ongoing.
