In the quiet town of Ely, Nevada, the life of Julia Hendrix, a 57-year-old Caucasian woman, came to a tragic and violent end on December 8, 2014. On that Monday evening, emergency services responded to a house fire. Upon arrival, they discovered Julia's body inside the burning home. An investigation quickly revealed that she had been shot once in the chest before the fire was intentionally set with the use of accelerants.
Suspicion immediately fell upon her 63-year-old husband, Bruce
Hendrix. Neighbors reported seeing him leave the residence in his truck just before the fire erupted. The motive for this horrific act appeared to be Julia's decision to end their marriage; she had filed for divorce just days prior. Following the murder and arson of their home, Bruce Hendrix drove to his accounting business and set that building on fire as well, shattering the windows before igniting the blaze. The community was left in shock, as the couple was generally known as quiet churchgoers with no history of domestic abuse reports.
A manhunt for Bruce Hendrix was launched, and he was considered armed and dangerous. A few days later, his truck was spotted by hunters in a remote area near Shingle Pass in Lincoln County. Law enforcement from both White Pine and Lincoln counties responded to the location. There, they found Bruce Hendrix deceased in his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A rifle was recovered at the scene, bringing a grim conclusion to the investigation.
