Texas Woman Sentenced to Life for Murders of Husband and Step-Daughter
36-year-old Veronica Dunnachie from Arlington was sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty to the 2014 murders of her estranged husband and his daughter.
Veronica was arrested in December 2014 after the bodies of her 50-year-old husband and his 20-year-old daughter were discovered by police on a welfare check. Veronica has filed for divorce from her husband Russ in October of that year, citing discord and conflict of personalities. Both parties had filed restraining orders against each other, and Veronica was ordered to vacate the couple's home by the end of December. After the shooting, Veronica went to Millwood Hospital, a mental health facility, where she was later arrested.
Veronica, an open-carry advocate, plead guilty last week. Her attorney cited her ready access to firearms as contributing to the murders. At the time of the murders, Veronica's Facebook page featured a profile picture of her aiming a gun and had the quote, “Sometimes removing some people out of your life makes room for better people.”
Russ' sister Heather was on-hand for the verdict, saying she was pleased that the state didn't seek the death penalty in the case, giving Veronica a chance to atone for her sins and seek salvation. However, Heather noted the continued pain her family experiences since the murders,
We have so much anger and grief because of what has been taken away from us. For many of us sleep does not come easy anymore. None of us will ever be the same again.
Family members have found it almost impossible to trust anyone again. One sister did not want her child to walk one block away to a bus stop even in her quiet, fairly safe neighborhood. A niece, 9, asked how many bullets does it take to kill a person.
Another child was unable to watch a Civil War documentary because it reminded him too much of what happened to his uncle. Children have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and Russ’ mother said she wishes that she had been shot instead of her son.
It’s hard to say whose pain is greater.