In the quiet suburbs of Henrico County, Virginia, a community was shaken by the tragic death of 56-year-old Martha Brissette, a white female, on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. She and her 59-year-old husband, Henry J. Brissette III, were found in their home, both having succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds. The grim discovery marked the beginning of a sorrowful investigation into a domestic tragedy.
The initial call to the police came from within the house.
The couple's 22-year-old son, William Roy Brissette, reported a break-in. However, as investigators delved into the scene, the evidence began to point away from an intruder and towards someone inside the home. This shift in focus soon led to the arrest of William, who lived with his parents. The young man was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
As the legal proceedings began, a troubled history of mental health issues and previous police visits to the family home came to light. Initially, prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty, citing the 'vileness' of the alleged crimes, and the charges against William were upgraded to two counts of capital murder. A trial was scheduled, and the community braced for a difficult case.
However, the path to trial took an unexpected turn. In April 2017, a judge found William Roy Brissette incompetent to stand trial based on a psychological evaluation that diagnosed him with schizoaffective disorder. He was ordered to receive treatment at Central State Hospital with the hope that his competency could be restored. Despite this, by January 2021, a Circuit Court judge declared him 'unrestorably incompetent,' making a trial for the murders of his parents unlikely. William Brissette continues to receive treatment at the state hospital, leaving the tragic case in a state of indefinite legal limbo.
