An Arkansas woman, Tabatha Lynn Pebler, 44, has been handed a three-year jail term for the unintended killing of her 27-year-old son, Brandon Chrisco, amidst a disagreement over a stuck lawn mower. The incident, which took place on May 31, 2023, in Fulton County, Arkansas, led to her sentencing by Sixteenth Circuit Court Judge Tim Weaver on July 12, 2024, following her guilty plea.

Court records indicate that Pebler received a seven-year suspended sentence in addition to her three-year imprisonment. If she violates the terms of her release, she may be compelled to serve additional years in jail. Initially charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony, Pebler accepted a plea bargain that led to her conviction for manslaughter and dismissal of the remaining charges.

On the day of the incident, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call placed by Pebler, who reported that she had shot her son. Upon their arrival, officers provided Pebler with her Miranda rights and proceeded to interview her. Pebler explained that an altercation began when she asked her son to assist her after her lawn mower got stuck, which he did with apparent reluctance.

The lawn mower got stuck once more shortly after being freed, leading Pebler to request her son’s help again. According to Pebler, her son reacted by using a derogatory term and pushing her off the mower. Feeling endangered, Pebler went to her car, approximately 250 yards away, to retrieve her firearm from the console.

Pebler stated, “I just wanted to scare and stop him.” She fired several warning shots as Chrisco approached her. Despite these shots, she advanced closer and eventually fired the deadly shot that hit Chrisco in the upper left side of his chest. The bullet passed through his body, leaving multiple shell casings at the scene.

Investigators established that Pebler moved 18 feet toward Chrisco after retrieving her firearm and fired one shot. She then advanced an additional 42 feet before firing the fatal shot when she was less than 20 feet away from him. Pebler’s defense argued that she did not mean to kill her son but acted in self-defense.

Judge Weaver’s decision to sentence Pebler to three years in prison followed by a suspended sentence acknowledges the complexity of the case. Pebler is set to start her sentence immediately. Her post-incarceration release conditions will be closely scrutinized, and any breach could result in additional jail time.