In the quiet city of Chesapeake, Virginia, the life of 58-year-old Susan Lee 'Sue' Hutson, a Caucasian female, came to a tragic and unexpected end on November 29, 2013. Known for her love of the outdoors, fishing, and camping, Susan was a former board member of the Bird Clubs of Virginia. She had built a life in Virginia after moving from her native Ohio in the late 1970s and was a wife and a mother to two daughters.
Her peaceful existence was shattered in an act of violence that would unravel a story of deep personal struggle and family tragedy.
In the early hours of the day after Thanksgiving, police were called to the Hutson family home on Osborn Avenue. Inside, they discovered Susan Hutson's body; she had been fatally shot. The investigation quickly turned towards her own daughter, 19-year-old Rachel Lee Hutson. In a chilling confession, Rachel had called her father, who was out at the time, to tell him she had shot her mother. Disbelieving at first, his doubt turned to horror when she sent him a photograph of her mother's body via his cellphone.
Rachel Hutson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The subsequent legal proceedings revealed a deeply troubled young woman who had been her mother's caregiver for years as Susan dealt with illness. Rachel's defense painted a picture of a young woman grappling with severe depression. On the morning of the murder, Rachel had reportedly planned to take her own life but decided against it, not wanting her mother to be the one to find her. In what was described as an afterthought, she then turned the gun on her mother.
Ultimately, Rachel Lee Hutson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. During her sentencing, both her father and sister spoke on her behalf, attesting to her mental health struggles and their continued support for her. In a display of the complex emotions surrounding the case, the family expressed their love for Rachel despite the immense pain and loss. Rachel expressed her remorse to the court before being sentenced to 18 years in prison for the murder of her mother.
