COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A grandmother who killed a kindergarten teacher will spend the rest of her life in prison. A judge issued the sentence Friday afternoon for Elizabeth Wall.
The woman's attorney said Wall heard voices and has been dealing with mental health issues for decades.
Wall pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the 2016 killing of her estranged daughter-in-law, Jenna Wall.
[READ: Mother-in-law accused of killing teacher faces judge]
Elizabeth Wall's lawyer told Channel 2's Chris Jose that his client is remorseful for what happened.
“Certainly she was very remorseful about what happened. She's been very open with me about it,” attorney Jimmy Berry told Jose.
When Wall entered the courtroom on Friday, Jose said she never looked out into the crowd. She didn't say much, either. She only answered the judge's questions.
“Do you know what the doctors diagnosed you with?” the judge asked Wall.
"Yes. Severe chronic depression, PTSD,” Wall answered.
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Wall will spend the rest of her life in prison.
“I cannot describe what Elizabeth Wall has taken away from Skip and I,” Sherri Charlton, the victim’s mother, said.
Elizabeth Wall was caring for her grandkids in June 2016 when she took them to the Powder Springs home where Jenna Wall had been staying with her parents.
The boys played upstairs.
[READ: Police: Grandmother researched killing family members before murder]
In court, it was revealed that Elizabeth Wall took them outside and told the boys to wait in a pick-up truck.
Then they heard the gunshots.
“When Jenna was killed, Elizabeth Wall took a mother from two precious, intelligent, loving boys forever,” Charlton told the court Friday.
Jenna Wall and her husband, Jerrod Wall, were in the middle of a messy divorce. He wasn't in court on Friday.
[READ: Mother-in-law indicted on murder charges in teacher's death]
Elizabeth Wall did show some emotion but didn't address Jenna's family or her own.
“I think that's what caused the shooting, the voices she heard, believing that was the best thing to do. She anticipated she would shoot herself, but ultimately she didn't,” Berry said.
In the courtroom, the judge commended Wall for accepting responsibility and sparing all sides from a long, emotional trial.
Cox Media Group
