In the quiet community of Heiskell, Tennessee, a tragic and violent event unfolded on September 12, 2023, ending the life of 38-year-old Shysti Renea Mayberry. Mayberry, a woman from Cocke County, was fatally shot in Anderson County, sparking a multi-day, multi-state manhunt for the man authorities identified as the suspect. The incident began in a vehicle where Mayberry was a passenger, along with her 21-month-old child.
According to law enforcement reports, Jason Robert Dockery, a 44-year-old white male, was driving the car with Mayberry and her young child inside. At some point, Dockery brandished a 9mm handgun and shot Mayberry. As she attempted to escape the vehicle, he reportedly continued to fire, shooting her a total of six times. Mayberry fell on the side of Moores Gap Road, and Dockery fled the scene with the child still in the car. He later dropped the child off unharmed on a porch in Union County before continuing his attempt to evade capture.
The shooting initiated an extensive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and authorities in Virginia. The search spanned several counties in East Tennessee and crossed into Lee County, Virginia. Investigators learned that Dockery might have been using a cell phone to monitor social media to help him elude police. The search concluded on September 14, 2023, when a tip from a citizen who saw him walking along Maynardville Highway led to his arrest in Union County. At the time of his capture, he was reportedly in possession of a 9mm handgun.
Following his arrest, Jason Dockery was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Shysti Mayberry's death. During his arraignment, a judge set his bond at $2 million. Court documents revealed that Dockery confessed to the killing to investigators. In addition to the murder charge, he faced other pending charges in Sevier and Claiborne counties for offenses including violation of probation, felony evading, reckless endangerment, and child abuse and neglect.
