Four Found Dead in Waverly Home in Apparent Murder-Suicide, Authorities Say

WAVERLY, Tenn. — Authorities in Humphreys County are investigating a tragic incident after four people were found dead inside a home on East Little Richland Road on Friday morning in what law enforcement has described as an apparent murder-suicide.

According to the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were conducting a welfare check at the residence when they made the devastating discovery. The bodies of two adults and two children were located inside the home. Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed there is no threat to the public and emphasized that the incident appears to be isolated.

Investigators identified the woman found inside the home as Heather Thompson. Officials said Thompson was found deceased from what was determined to be a self-inflicted injury. A firearm was recovered near her body. Authorities stated that her two sons, Arius “Ari” Thompson, 5, and Isaiah Thompson, 13, as well as her 83-year-old mother, were also found deceased inside the residence. The children were shared with Thompson’s estranged husband, Biah Thompson, who resides in New Mexico. GoFundMe

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office with the death investigation. Officials said the scene remains active, and investigators will remain on site for an undetermined amount of time as they work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Heather Thompson had a background in the military and security service. She graduated from the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee, Virginia, in 2011. She was employed with Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 572 and previously served as an Armed Security Captain with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Colleagues and acquaintances described her as disciplined and hardworking, making the tragedy even more difficult for those who knew her.

In a heartbreaking statement shared publicly, the children’s father, Biah Thompson, expressed profound grief over the loss of his sons.

“Today has been a day I wouldn’t wish on any other parent,” he wrote. “As a father, it shattered my soul to hear that my sons, Arius and Isaiah, are no longer with us. They were just babies. Every second of today, I wish I could wake up.”

He added that funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized, but he plans to bring his sons back to New Mexico for services.

Authorities have not released further details as the investigation continues. Sheriff Davis reiterated that there is no ongoing danger to the community and asked the public to avoid the area due to congestion from the ongoing investigation.

This tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Waverly community, leaving many grieving the loss of three generations of one family. Officials say more information will be released as it becomes available.