A Tennessee mother allegedly shot and killed her two young sons and her elderly grandmother before taking her own life in a suspected murder-suicide that has devastated a small community in Waverly, Tennessee.
The Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office discovered four bodies during a welfare check on January 2, 2026, at a home on East Little Richland Avenue. The victims were identified as Heather Thompson, 32, her sons Arius Thompson, 4, and Isaiah Johnson, 13, along with her grandmother Evelyn Johnson, 88. All four died from gunshot wounds.
Sheriff Chris Davis said preliminary evidence indicates Heather Thompson killed her two sons and grandmother before dying by suicide. Investigators found no signs of forced entry at the residence and believe no other persons were involved in the incident.
Davis said during a press conference that he knew the family and that they would be treated with respect, emphasizing that he and his team would do right by them.
The boys’ father, Jeremiah Thompson, who also goes by Biah Thompson, was in New Mexico at the time. Thompson is the stepfather to Isaiah.
The parents were estranged at the time of the deaths. Investigators found no history of prior domestic violence calls or mental health calls to the residence, according to authorities.
Heather Thompson worked as a nurse practitioner at Ascension Saint Thomas Three Rivers Hospital in the Waverly area. Evelyn Johnson was Heather’s grandmother, and both Isaiah and Arius were her sons.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office with the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not released a motive for the killings.
Thompson expressed his grief in a social media post following the tragedy. “As a father it hurt and shattered my soul to hear my sons, Arius (Ari) and Isaiah have been taken from me and are no longer with us,” he wrote. “They were just babies.”
The grieving father created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral expenses. The campaign has drawn significant support from the community and beyond.
A memorial service for all four family members was held Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., providing an opportunity for friends, neighbors, and community members to pay their respects to the victims.
The tragedy has deeply affected the close-knit community in Humphreys County, where the family had been longtime residents. Sheriff Davis grew emotional when addressing reporters about the incident, reflecting the personal impact of the loss on those who knew the family.
The welfare check that led to the discovery of the bodies was conducted, though authorities have not disclosed who requested the check or what concerns prompted the visit to the residence on East Little Richland Avenue.
The sheriff’s office has emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the community and that the incident appears to have been contained to the family members involved.
The case highlights the importance of mental health awareness and the availability of crisis resources. The investigation by the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation remains active as they work to understand the circumstances surrounding the deaths and provide answers to the grieving family and community.