In the quiet community of Dorr Township, Michigan, a horrific tragedy unfolded in March of 2015, forever marking the lives of those who knew Debra D. Sheppard. At 33 years old, Debra, a mother of two, was killed in her own home in a brutal act of violence that also claimed the lives of her children.
On March 9, 2015, Debra Sheppard, her 12-year-old daughter Emma McComber, and her 10-year-old son Corey LaValley Jr. were shot to death in their mobile home. The following day, in an attempt to conceal the gruesome crime, the perpetrator returned to the scene and set the home on fire.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Corey LaValley, Debra's ex-boyfriend and the father of her son, Corey Jr. It was revealed that LaValley had confessed the murders to his brother and father, who then alerted the authorities. The motive behind the heinous act appeared to be rooted in a dispute over the paternity of Corey Jr., as Sheppard had recently informed LaValley that he was not the boy's biological father.
Corey LaValley was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of murder and one count of arson. Following a psychiatric evaluation that deemed him competent to stand trial, LaValley pleaded no contest to three counts of second-degree murder in January 2016. This plea, while not an admission of guilt, is treated as such for sentencing purposes. He claimed to have no memory of the killings and the subsequent fire. LaValley was sentenced to a minimum of 55 to a maximum of 82 years in prison for his crimes. The case also brought to light prior concerns for the children's welfare, as Emma's father had previously contacted child protective services with fears for his daughter's safety in LaValley's presence.
