A 44-year-old Arkansas woman, Tabatha Lynn Pebler, has been sentenced to three years in state prison for the manslaughter of her 27-year-old son, Brandon Chrisco, during an argument about a stuck lawn mower. The incident occurred on May 31, 2023, in Fulton County. Sixteenth Circuit Court Judge Tim Weaver, as reported by media sources on July 12, 2024, handed down the sentence after Pebler pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to court documents, Pebler also received an additional seven-year suspended sentence. If she fails to comply with the conditions of her release, she could be required to serve additional years in prison. Initially, Pebler faced charges of second-degree murder and employing a firearm in the commission of a felony. However, she accepted a plea deal that resulted in a manslaughter conviction and dismissal of the other charges.
Deputies from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from Pebler on May 31, 2023, who reported that she had shot her son. Upon arrival, officers read Pebler her Miranda rights and interviewed her. She told them she was mowing the lawn when her riding mower became stuck. She asked her son for help, which he did reluctantly, expressing frustration.
After freeing the mower, it became stuck again shortly afterward. When Pebler requested Chrisco’s assistance a second time, he allegedly called her a derogatory name and shoved her off the mower. Pebler, feeling threatened, went to her car about 250 yards away to retrieve her pistol from the console.
Pebler said, “I just wanted to scare and stop him.” She fired several warning shots as Chrisco approached her. Despite these warning shots, she moved closer and ultimately fired the fatal shot that struck Chrisco in the upper left side of his chest. The bullet passed through his body, and multiple shell casings were found at the scene.
Investigators determined that after obtaining her firearm, Pebler moved 18 feet toward Chrisco and fired one shot. She then moved an additional 42 feet closer before firing the fatal shot when she was less than 20 feet away from him. Pebler’s defense maintained that she did not intend to kill her son but acted out of fear.
Judge Weaver’s decision to impose a three-year prison term followed by a suspended sentence reflects the court’s recognition of the case’s complexity. Pebler is expected to begin her sentence immediately. The conditions of her release post-incarceration will be closely monitored, and any violation could result in her serving additional time.