Georgia Woman Allegedly Kills Daughter In Law While Grandchildren Wait Outside
A Georgia woman is behind bars after allegedly killing her daughter-in-law early Thursday afternoon in Cobb County, while her two grandchildren waited outside.
Atlanta’s 11 Alive reported that Elizabeth Wall, 63, is accused of driving to a Powder Springs home off of Wyndham Woods Drive, and shooting her daughter-in-law, Jenna Wall, 35, causing fatal injuries. Prior to entering the home, Elizabeth Wall reportedly told her two grandsons, ages seven and eight, to wait in her pickup truck while she went inside. According to authorities, the boys stated that they heard several gunshots coming from inside the home.
Elizabeth Betsy Wall is accused of shooting and killing her daughter-in-law Jenna Wall https://t.co/Z5V8qkKBKn pic.twitter.com/hvYUbhTKnU
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) June 24, 2016
Cobb police Sgt. Dana Pierce indicated that the two boys, who are now safe, helped police greatly after providing details they remembered.
“We’ve been able to get a good bit of information from them. They are safe. They are sound. They are at our Crimes Against Children Unit. They are being interviewed.”
Jenna Wall was in the middle of divorce proceedings with Jerrod Wall, an investigator for the Paulding District Attorney’s Office. WSB-TV reports that Elizabeth Wall called her son and told him to come over to the Powder Springs home shortly after the shooting. When he arrived, he found his mother sitting inside, holding a gun to her head.
Jenna, kindergarten teacher at Kemp Elementary School, lived at the Powder Springs residence with her parents while going through a tumultuous divorce. According to the police warrant, Jerrod Wall spoke to his oldest son via cellphone while driving to the home.
“While en route, Jerrod Wall spoke with his older child on the phone who informed him that said accused and Jenna Wall were in the house and he had heard gunshots.”
The couple married on July 17, 2004, but separated last year after Jenna filed for divorce. Just two weeks ago, Jerrod Wall filed a counter-petition, claiming that his wife was having an affair with a high school teacher. He stated that his wife would talk to the high school teacher up to 20 times per day, while at work and while at home with the family.
He also alleged that she wouldn’t allow him to see the two children after filing for full custody, and that she took the kids around the man she was secretly seeing on at least one occasion. He petitioned to take custody of the kids himself, claiming Jenna was financially and mentally unable to care for them. Yet, one of the neighbors said she always saw Jenna outside playing with her boys, making them laugh and having fun.
“And she used to babysit my children and there wasn’t a day I haven’t seen her out front with her children playing basketball and – just such an involved mom, and just a blessing to our neighborhood.”
Another neighbor agreed, adding that not only was she a great teacher, but a friend to everyone she met.
“The laughter, the joy – I just loved it. She will be your friend the moment you meet her. And she was a great teacher.”
On Friday, the Kemp Elementary School parking lot was packed with people mourning the loss of the teacher. On the same day, Elizabeth Wall stood before a Cobb County judge, where she was read her charges. The 63-year-old became upset when she learned that she was denied bond.
Elizabeth Wall is charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, third-degree cruelty to children, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. She remains in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center with no bond. So far, there’s no indication that Jerrod Wall was involved in any way with the murder. The investigation is still ongoing.
[Image via Cobb County Sheriff’s Office]
