A Tennessee community is mourning the loss of a mother and her 8-year-old daughter after a devastating murder-suicide on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Warren County. Authorities say Joseph Nicholas Shelton, Jr. fatally shot his wife Randi Jean Shelton and their young daughter Thea before taking his own life at their home on Greenwood Drive, just outside McMinnville city limits.
Deputies from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check request at 264 Greenwood Drive at approximately 2:10 p.m. After arriving on the scene and conducting an initial assessment, additional officers were called to assist. Upon entering the home, deputies discovered three bodies in what investigators determined to be a domestic-related incident.
Sheriff Jackie D. Matheny, Jr. confirmed that Joseph Shelton, Jr. shot and killed both Randi and their daughter before turning the gun on himself. While the investigation continues, authorities emphasized there is no threat to the community.
In a statement, Sheriff Matheny asked the community to keep the affected families in their thoughts and prayers, noting the tragedy has impacted multiple families—including children who will forever carry the weight of this loss. The sheriff also expressed support for the law enforcement officers and first responders now tasked with working through the painful details of the investigation.
The shooting has left surviving family members reeling. Randi leaves behind two older children who were not at the residence at the time of the incident. Investigators have not released the ages of either adult victim or disclosed how long the Sheltons were married. The motive behind Sunday’s violence has not been determined, and police have not revealed what may have precipitated the shooting.
Young Thea was a student at Hickory Creek Elementary School in McMinnville, which serves Pre-K through 5th grade students in the Warren County School District. The school shared a statement in the aftermath of the tragedy, asking the community to lift Thea’s family, friends, classmates, and teachers in prayer. “Her presence will always be remembered and cherished,” the school stated.
While Thea was not named in the official police statement, her identity was revealed in an online tribute posted by her mother’s employer, Warren County Apparel Graphic Design, Inc. The McMinnville-based company, which specializes in screen printing, embroidery, signs, and trophies, described Randi as far more than just an employee.
“She was our daughter-in-law’s best friend and a family friend for many years,” the company’s post read. “She and Thea were both just sweet souls and they were greatly loved and will be forever in our hearts.”
Friends and community members have expressed shock and grief over the loss. Kara Green Gonder, a friend who knew Randi through her side business selling magnetic lashes, wrote that Randi “was such a sweetheart” and that every interaction with her was filled with kindness. She urged the community to pray for those left devastated by the senseless tragedy.
The McMinnville community, located in middle Tennessee approximately 70 miles southeast of Nashville, has been deeply shaken by the deaths. Warren County is home to roughly 42,000 residents and is known as the nursery capital of the world for its extensive plant production industry.
Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities have stated that additional information will be released as it becomes appropriate to do so.
Domestic violence incidents like this one claim thousands of lives across the United States each year. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. The organization reports that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, contact sexual violence, and/or stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, or contraction of sexually transmitted infections.
Sheriff Matheny has assured residents that despite the ongoing investigation, there is no danger to the broader community. The incident was isolated to the family residence on Greenwood Drive.
The deaths of Randi Jean Shelton and young Thea have left friends, family members, and coworkers grappling with an unimaginable loss. As news of the tragedy spread throughout Warren County, community members began sharing memories and expressing condolences for a mother and daughter whose lives were cut tragically short.
As the investigation progresses, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office continues to work through the details of the case while supporting the families affected by this heartbreaking event.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 200 languages. You can also text START to 88788 or chat online at thehotline.org.