In the quiet community of Solsberry, Indiana, the life of 73-year-old Peggy Jean Burks came to a tragic and violent end on September 18, 2018. On that Tuesday morning, a neighbor's call to 911 shattered the morning calm, reporting screams and gunshots emanating from Burks's residence on North State Road 43. When Greene County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the home, located about a mile and a half south of Hendricksville, they discovered a grim scene.
Inside, three individuals, including Peggy Burks, were found deceased.
The ensuing investigation by the Indiana State Police and the Greene County Sheriff's Department soon unraveled a story of domestic turmoil that had escalated to a fatal conclusion. The other two victims were identified as Peggy's 71-year-old husband, Lawrence T. Burks, and her 57-year-old caregiver, Debra K. Floyd. Authorities quickly determined the incident to be a double murder-suicide, perpetrated by Lawrence Burks. Investigators learned that Lawrence had shot and killed his wife of 52 years and her caregiver before turning the gun on himself.
Court records revealed a history of escalating conflict between Peggy and Lawrence Burks. Just weeks before the tragedy, on August 21, 2018, Peggy had filed for divorce. Lawrence had filed a counter-petition the very next day. Fearful for her safety, Peggy had also sought and obtained a protective order against her husband. This was not the first time their marriage had faced legal dissolution; Lawrence had previously filed for divorce in May 2013, though that petition was later dismissed. The final, violent act brought a devastating end to what had become a deeply troubled relationship, leaving a community to mourn the loss of two of its members at the hands of another.
