Gwinnett Man Murdered Wife In Front Of Teen Son

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County man on Monday pleaded guilty to shooting his wife to death, after calling his 13-year-old son into the bedroom to watch.

Sheldon Soyer, 45, admitted his guilt on all charges against him as a jury was being assembled in his case, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's office. He was sentenced to life, plus five years, in prison.

Vanessa Soyer was a published author, with many of her books dealing with domestic violence.

Prior to Nov. 16, 2015, she had gone to New York to visit friends and family and consider her relationship with her husband, prosecutors say. She was considering divorce or separation when she returned to Lawrenceville on Nov. 15.

The next day, after the couple argued, Sheldon Soyer shot Vanessa 13 times with a 9-millimeter handgun. Before the shooting, he had called the couple's 13-year-old son into a bedroom "to tell him something" and "to show him something," prosecutors said.

After the boy got into the bedroom, Sheldon Soyer pushed Vanessa onto the floor and began shooting. He then pointed the gun at the boy, telling him he was next.

Soyer hesitated and his son was able to run away. The man fled the scene of the shooting and was on the loose for about 24 hours before turning himself in to police.

After Sheldon Soyer's guilty plea, his son testified before sentencing, breaking down in tears on the stand. During his testimony he said that "13 years was not long enough to have had his mother," according to the district attorney's office.

Soyer pleaded guilty to murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

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