On a tragic evening in Chesapeake, Virginia, the lives of Clark Lee Julian and his wife, Sally, came to a violent end. Clark Lee Julian, a 60-year-old male, was fatally shot on April 9, 2017, in a crime that shook his family and the local community. The person responsible for his death, and that of his wife, was their own son.
The events of that Sunday afternoon unfolded when their son, Steven Julian, then 23 years old, shot both of his parents inside their home on Ember Hill Lane. After the horrific act, he drove to the nearby home of his aunt and uncle. There, he threatened to kill them as well, pointing a gun at his uncle's forehead. In a heroic struggle, his uncle managed to wrestle the firearm away from him, preventing further bloodshed.
When police arrived at the aunt and uncle's residence, Steven Julian admitted to the murders of his parents. He was promptly arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The shocking crime left friends and former classmates of Steven expressing disbelief, remembering him as an outgoing and funny person, which stood in stark contrast to the violence he had committed.
During the legal proceedings that followed, Steven Julian's case was delayed as he underwent a mental health evaluation. Ultimately, he was convicted of the murders. In December 2018, he received a life sentence for the murder of his mother, an additional sentence for the murder of his father, and further time for the attempted murder of his aunt and uncle. At his sentencing, Steven expressed remorse and thanked his uncle for intervening and saving his life, stating he had also planned to kill himself that day. Despite the conclusion of the legal case, the definitive motive behind his actions remained elusive, with the defense citing mental illness during the trial.
