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POPLARVILLE, Miss. (BFMG) — A Mississippi woman has been charged with murder after authorities say she shot and killed her estranged husband outside the Pearl River County Chancery Courthouse following a divorce proceeding.
Tanya Lindell Saucier was arrested at the scene by Poplarville police shortly after the shooting, which occurred Tuesday around noon, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office said.
Volatile Relationship Leads to Tragedy
According to court records, Saucier and her estranged husband, James Ray Saucier, had appeared separately at the courthouse earlier that day due to what their divorce lawyer described as the “extreme volatility” of their relationship.
“This is a tragedy, and there is no justification, no excuse for anybody to open fire on someone in a public setting like that,” said Jansen Owen, Tanya Saucier’s divorce lawyer. “We do not do vigilante justice in America. What Miss Saucier did yesterday is unjustifiable, and I witnessed her murder him.”
Owen told WLOX that Tanya Saucier appeared in court at 10 a.m., while James Saucier arrived at 11 a.m. to finalize their divorce paperwork. James Saucier had been indicted in August on a domestic violence aggravated assault charge, according to court records.
Shooting Outside the Courthouse
Witnesses reported that the shooting occurred as James Saucier was leaving the courthouse. Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Scott Allee said police recovered a 9mm handgun and multiple shell casings from the scene.
Authorities have not released further details about what prompted the shooting.
Legal Proceedings
Tanya Saucier remains in custody as authorities continue their investigation. No bond has been set as of Wednesday morning.
“This was a senseless act of violence that not only ended a life but disrupted a public space meant to provide resolution and justice,” Maj. Allee said.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional details are expected to be released in the coming days.
