On March 17, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, 80-year-old Betty Lou Hearn was found deceased in her home on Colwick Avenue, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The discovery was made after her granddaughter, 30-year-old Kelsie Miles, arrived at the Grand Prairie Police Department around 5 a.m. and confessed to the shooting. Miles informed officers that she had shot her grandmother at their shared residence.
Upon receiving this information, Dallas police conducted a welfare check at Hearn's home. After receiving no response at the door, officers forced entry and found Hearn deceased on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head. Miles disclosed that the firearm used, a Smith & Wesson .380, was in her car, which officers subsequently recovered.
Neighbors expressed shock and sorrow over Hearn's death. Nathan Jackson, a longtime neighbor, described Hearn as a kind woman with a very good heart, noting that she treated neighborhood children like her own. Family members, while declining to speculate on a motive, issued a brief statement expressing their love for Hearn and describing the incident as a tragedy for their family.
Authorities have not released any information regarding a possible motive for the shooting. Miles, who does not have a prior criminal history, was arrested and charged with murder. She is currently held in the Dallas County Jail on a $750,000 bond.
