Mississippi woman kills husband at courthouse immediately after they finalized their divorce

A Mississippi woman is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting her ex-husband moments after they finalized their divorce at a courthouse in Poplarville.

49-year-old Tanya Saucier waited in her car outside the Lenoir Rowell Criminal Justice Center in Poplarville on Tuesday morning for her now ex-husband, James Ray Saucier, to exit the building before opening fire.

The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred shortly after the couple concluded their divorce proceedings.

Authorities revealed that due to their tumultuous relationship, the couple had been required to enter the courthouse separately.

“The meeting for the Sauciers and their attorneys with the judge to finalize the divorce proceedings was an impromptu, unscheduled meeting,” said Major Scott Allee, Lead Investigator with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office said.

According to police, Tanya used a 9 mm handgun equipped with a 15-round magazine to kill James Saucier in broad daylight, as witnesses—including her own attorney—looked on.

“What Miss Saucier did yesterday is unjustifiable,” said Jansen Owen, Tanya’s divorce attorney, who also witnessed the shooting. “There is no justification and no excuse for anybody to open fire on someone in a public setting.”

Tanya and her attorney arrived at the courthouse around 10 a.m., while James arrived with his lawyer an hour later. The shooting occurred just before 1 p.m. as James exited the building.

James’ attorney, Don Rafferty, who was handling paperwork inside the courthouse at the time of the shooting, described the incident as shocking. “Things went crossways,” he said.

Tanya Saucier was arrested at the scene and charged with one count of murder. In the aftermath, her attorney criticized Mississippi’s lack of courthouse security.

“That’s the way it is in Mississippi—throughout the state,” Owen said. “We have a big problem with lacking courthouse security.”

Major Allee confirmed that funding had been secured through federal appropriations to improve security measures, though specifics remain unclear. “There is a recognized need for enhanced security measures,” he added.

Family members of both Tanya and James Saucier expressed sadness and disbelief over the tragedy. “I wish they could have worked out their problems in a peaceful way,” said Wordie Carroll, a relative of James.

Johanna Peterson, a sister-in-law of James’ sister, voiced the family’s frustration. “She’s taken seven grandchildren’s grandfather away from them. He has a daughter and a son. The family is in shock, as well as frustrated and enraged.”

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Court records obtained revealed James Saucier had been indicted in August on charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence with a deadly weapon. However, his attorney insisted James was defending himself during past incidents and placed blame on Tanya.

“My client said he was defending himself,” Rafferty said. “And you saw what happened today.” Regardless of prior disputes, Owen emphasized that vigilante justice has no place in the legal system. “We do not do vigilante justice in America,” he stated.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.