In the quiet community of Nathalie, Virginia, the life of 71-year-old Jim Thornton came to a tragic end on June 28, 2018. That evening, at his trailer home on Waller Road, Thornton was fatally shot in the head and torso. The person responsible for his death was his own daughter, 36-year-old Shelley Elizabeth Thornton.
Family members who were present at the scene described Shelley as being in a 'flagrantly psychotic state' at the time of the shooting. After shooting her father with a.
38 caliber revolver, family members managed to wrestle the gun away from her. She then grabbed a shovel and began attacking them and smashing the windshield of a nearby vehicle. Following this, she attempted to barricade herself inside the home.
When law enforcement arrived, Shelley Thornton had fled on foot but was apprehended about 300 yards away. During an interview with the Sheriff's Office, she admitted to killing her father. However, she made bizarre statements, claiming that the man she shot was not her real father but an imposter, a 'twin,' or a 'robot.'
Subsequent legal proceedings revealed a long history of mental health issues. A psychiatric evaluation concluded that Shelley suffered from schizophrenia, which left her unable to comprehend the gravity of her actions. Based on this evaluation, the prosecution recommended that the court accept a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. In January 2019, a Halifax Circuit Judge accepted the plea on charges of second-degree murder and felonious use of a firearm. As a result, Shelley Thornton was not incarcerated but was instead committed to a psychiatric institution for an indefinite period.
