On a tragic evening in Chesapeake, Virginia, the life of 63-year-old Sally Lake Julian was abruptly and violently ended. On April 9, 2017, a day that would forever alter the lives of her family, Sally was shot and killed in her own home. The devastating act was not carried out by a stranger, but by her own son, Steven Julian.
In a horrifying sequence of events, Steven first approached his mother in the kitchen and shot her in the head while she was doing dishes.
He then pursued his father, Clark Lee Julian, who was also 60 years old, through the house, ultimately kicking down the door to a room where his father had barricaded himself and shooting him as well. Both Sally and Clark died from their injuries.
After the brutal slayings of his parents, Steven Julian drove to the home of his aunt and uncle. He threatened them with the same firearm, but his uncle was able to wrestle the gun away from him. When law enforcement arrived, Steven admitted to the murders of his parents.
Steven Julian was subsequently arrested and faced two counts of first-degree murder. In court, his defense argued that he had been suffering from mental illness. Despite this, he was convicted for the murders. In December 2018, he was sentenced to a life sentence for the murder of his mother and additional time for the murder of his father and the attempted murder of his aunt and uncle. During his sentencing, Steven expressed remorse in a letter he read to the court, taking responsibility for his actions and asking for his family's forgiveness. He also revealed that he had planned to take his own life that day and thanked his uncle for intervening. The motive behind the devastating familicide remains unclear.
