Tragedy struck outside a Spalding County, Georgia courthouse when 44-year-old Krystal Evans, formerly Krystal Mallory, was shot and killed by her ex-husband, Tom Mallory, just moments after their divorce was finalized.
The incident, which occurred on 6th Street, has left a community in shock and mourning as details of their tumultuous relationship and violent end emerge.
Witnesses reported that after their divorce hearing, the estranged couple entered separate cars outside the courthouse when gunshots rang out.
According to law enforcement, Tom Mallory fired multiple rounds through the window of his car, striking Krystal Evans as she sat in her vehicle. Mallory then sped off before law enforcement could intervene.
Deputies later pursued him, and after a brief chase, Mallory shot himself. He was taken to the hospital and remains alive, though his condition is unclear.
Krystal’s daughter, Precious Evans, expressed her devastation over the tragic loss.
“I feel like I don’t have anybody,” she told 11Alive, adding that her mother had been looking forward to starting a new chapter in life. “She was so happy after her divorce. She felt free. We were even talking about having a party.”
In the wake of the shooting, rumors circulated online that Krystal had requested an escort from courthouse deputies, but the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office quickly dismissed those claims.
The office confirmed that no such request was made and that video footage showed Krystal walking past deputies without asking for assistance.
The sheriff also outlined the history of domestic issues between the couple, noting that deputies had responded to numerous disputes at their residence, where both parties often accused each other of violence.
However, due to conflicting accounts from witnesses and the couple themselves, no consistent primary aggressor could be identified under Georgia’s family violence laws.
The sheriff also spoke about the complexity of the couple’s relationship, calling it a “toxic” situation that had escalated over time.
Tom Mallory had been arrested on one occasion for domestic violence but was released on bond.
While the sheriff’s office has faced scrutiny over the lack of arrests in previous altercations, officials explained that legal constraints and insufficient evidence prevented further action.
Krystal Evans and Tom Mallory had been married for 20 years before the divorce.
