Waverly, Tennessee — A quiet winter morning on January 2 turned into the worst day imaginable for one family and a tight-knit community when 32-year-old nurse practitioner Heather Thompson allegedly shot her two young sons, 4-year-old Arius Thompson and 13-year-old Isaiah Johnson, along with their 88-year-old grandmother, Evelyn Johnson, before taking her own life, authorities confirmed. The brutal event has been classified as a quadruple murder-suicide, leaving grief and confusion in its wake.
Deputies with the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office went to a home on East Little Richland Road in Waverly early that Friday for a welfare check. Inside, they found all four family members dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Sheriff Chris Davis, clearly shaken by what he described as a tragedy deep in the heart of his community, said preliminary evidence shows Thompson shot her sons and grandmother before turning the weapon on herself.
Friends, neighbors, and first responders were struck by the contrast between the chaotic discovery and the life this family once lived. Heather Thompson worked as a nurse practitioner at a local hospital and was known for caring for others. There were no emergency calls about domestic violence or mental health issues at the home before the shooting, officials noted, adding that the investigation into motive is ongoing with help from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The boys’ father and stepfather, Jeremiah “Biah” Thompson, who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, reacted with heartbreak and disbelief. Separated from Heather but still in daily contact, he learned of the deaths through a message from a friend. At first, he thought they had simply moved away. Instead, he was told his sons were gone forever. “As a father it hurt and shattered my soul,” he wrote on social media. “They were just babies.”
Arius was described by loved ones as a happy little boy who loved riding his tricycle and playing with his big brother. Isaiah, his older sibling, was remembered as a good student who enjoyed sports, the trumpet, and video games. The contrast between their bright, everyday lives and the sudden, violent end has left friends and classmates in deep mourning.
The family’s loss has rippled beyond their home. A memorial service drew neighbors and classmates to remember Arius, Isaiah, Heather, and Evelyn. Community members spoke of shock and sorrow, struggling to reconcile the tragic events with the faces they saw every day. Funds are being raised to bring the boys home to New Mexico for burial, and friends have rallied around Jeremiah Thompson as he faces the impossible task of planning funerals while grieving his own loss.
Law enforcement officials say there is no indication of further threats to the public. As this investigation continues, local and state agencies are combing evidence for answers in a case that has shaken Humphreys County. Counseling services are being offered to students and residents affected by this tragedy as the community tries to heal and make sense of what happened to a family many once saw as ordinary and caring.
