GAINESVILLE - Much of the media attention surrounding a murder at Harbor Point Yacht Club in July has centered around the shooting of the suspect by Hall County sheriff's deputies. But we wanted to know more about the crime that led to the shooting.
Maj. Woodrow Tripp, chief of criminal investigations for the Hall County Sheriff's Office, says the attack on Mary Pearce by her son, John, started "possibly in the laundry room" of the house they shared. Her body was found in "a hallway leading to the laundry room."
Major Tripp says she was stabbed "multiple times" and confirmed that she had also been shot.
He says a knife was found in front of the house where Mary's sister-in-law, Gretchen Pearce, was stabbed when she confronted John Pearce in response to a phone call from Mary.
Maj. Tripp said "blood was widespread inside and outside" the house where the two women were attacked.
Gretchen Pearce who had fallen to the ground as she was repeatedly stabbed ran to a neighboring house to get help once John had left her and someone there called 911 to report what happened. (See earlier story.)
Shortly after that, sheriff's deputies arrived and shot and killed John after he refused repeated commands from the officers to surrender and "lunged" at them. (See earlier story.)
Monday
April 28th, 2025
8:16AM
