In yet another twist in the somber Rockbridge, Va, murder-suicide case, authorities on Friday revealed that James Sullenberger, 63, shot and killed his wife Nancy Sullenberger, 61, and then turned the gun on himself, leaving behind a hand-written confession.
The couple were in the process of getting a divorce, and Mrs. Sullenberger had taken out an emergency restraining order in April against Mr. Sullenberger after a domestic dispute at their home. She remained in the house and he had moved to the outskirts of Lexington.
The violence left three communities shaken in what is usually a quiet Shenandoah Valley summer. In Waynesboro, Kate Collins Middle School lost a beloved special education teacher. South of Waynesboro, the tiny community of Fairfield was the scene of the shooting and, further south, Mr. Sullenberger’s apartment in sleepy Buena Vista was where the confession letter was found.
Reporter Chase Purdy at the Waynesboro News Virginian provided details of the shooting:
Breaking a protective order his wife first requested in April, Sullenberger entered the house and found his wife and stepson, Chris Sayler, 29.
“[Sayler] lives there,” Blalock said. “And after James and him had a brief confrontation, we believe [Sayler] fled the house.”
The captain said Sayler ducked at least two gunshots during his flight to the nearby woods. Hiding, he used his cell phone to dial 911 at around 8:30 p.m., Blalock said.
When deputies arrived less than five minutes later, it was too late. Blalock said they found both Sullenbergers lying on the floor, both dead from single gunshot wounds. James Sullenberger’s appeared self-inflicted, Blalock said.
Deputies found Sayler in the woods moments later, still shaken and scared, authorities said. It’s unclear whether the killing of Nancy Sullenberger took place before or after Sayler left the home.
Mr. Sullenberger was reportedly a well-known businessman in nearby Lexington where Mrs. Sullenberger had served on the Rockbridge Area Community Services Board.
Teachers at Kate Collins Middle School are in mourning for someone they described as a friend not only to her students but to others, always reaching out and offering help to anyone who needed it.
As fellow teacher Nancy Martin said, “Anybody that needed a friend, she was that person.”
