The holidays can be a hard time for families going through difficult situations like divorce, but one couple’s separation escalated to a new tragic level of sorrow between Christmas and new year’s. Here’s how the situation escalated.

On December 10, 2024, Jennifer Sheffield spoke highly of her soon to be ex-husband, Brandon Sheffield. In a TikTok video, she called Brandon “incredible.”

She said, “I’m about to be a newly single mom. I am in the middle of a divorce. My husband has been incredible though, really and truly. We’re working together, everything’s great, we’re splitting everything down the middle.”

She added that it was a “a very civil divorce with our daughter in mind.”

She continued, “However, you know, I’m going to be on my own, single income right now, and he’ll be helping with her, supporting her and I’m really thankful for that and that I’ll not have to worry so much about supporting her. However, I will be on a very limited income with buying a new house and paying a mortgage and all that stuff.”

She ended the video by asking for advice, saying, “I’ve never done this before, I’ve never been on my own before. So, if you have any tips, saving money, making money, because I’m a little scared right now.”

Her husband’s perspective on the situation must have been drastically different, because just a couple weeks later, on December 27, he allegedly shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself in a murder suicide.

On December 28 at 7:19am police arrived at the residence where Brandon and Jennifer were with their daughter. The police responded to reports of “obvious signs of foul play.”

Brian Sheffield, Brandon’s older brother, explained on a GoFundMe page created in support of the late couple’s children, daughters Kylie and Gracie. At the time of publication, the fundraiser is about halfway towards reaching their goal. All the money raised will go towards helping Kylie and Gracie financially.

PEOPLE reports that Jennifer’s friend Faye Lott told WLBT that Brandon has “never been a violent person that I was ever aware of. I was with her when they met and I’ve always loved him for how he loved her. So it’s definitely hard trying to understand something we will never be able to.”

The police investigation is ongoing.