DECATUR, Ga. — A jury has found a Lithonia woman guilty of killing her husband in 2019, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced Wednesday.
Aimee Heyward, 48, was convicted on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the first degree, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. She was convicted in connection with the shooting death of her husband Bruce Heyward, 49.
On Feb. 25, 2019, police responded to the couple's home on Edenberry Way following reports of a "person shot." Authorities found Bruce in the front entryway of their home with a gunshot wound to his chest.
"Though he struggled to talk, he was able to tell responding officers that his wife shot him," the release from the DeKalb County DA's Office stated.
Bruce was taken to the hospital but died shortly after due to his injuries.
Prior to the shooting, officers responded to the home due to a domestic dispute between the husband and wife. Authorities had to separate them into different bedrooms because neither of them wanted to leave the home, the release stated.
During the middle of the night, Bruce called 911 after his wife forced her way into his room and held a gun to his head. She fired a shot, striking him in his chest while he was on the phone with 911, the release stated.
Audio from the 911 call captured the gunshot. The couple's 16-year-old daughter also heard the gunshot as she rushed downstairs to help her father.
Officers found Aimee walking around in their neighborhood with a backpack containing 9mm shell casings. K9 officers were able to track down the gun in a storm drain not far away.
Aimee Heyward will be sentenced at a later date before DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie, who presided over the trial.