A domestic conflict in the Yoshino Terrace area of Powder Springs, Georgia, ended tragically on December 7, 2025, with the death of 72-year-old Monica Brookins in a double shooting.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., Powder Springs Police officers answered a 911 call placed by her 31-year-old son, Martin Duberry, who admitted to shooting both his mother and her 73-year-old husband, John Wells. The couple had just come home from celebrating Wells’s birthday. Officers discovered both victims with multiple gunshot wounds; Brookins had been struck five times. They were transported urgently to a hospital but died from their injuries.
According to arrest warrants issued by the Cobb County Police Department, the investigation indicates that Duberry was motivated by a wish to have the family home to himself. He lived in the residence with his mother and stepfather. Duberry now faces two murder charges, eight counts of aggravated battery, and firearm-related offenses. He is being held without bail as the inquiry proceeds, marking a shocking breach of trust in a community where such violent acts are rare.
Monica and John Wells had moved to Powder Springs from California a few years earlier and had become integral parts of the Yoshino Terrace neighborhood, where their friendly nature encouraged neighborly relationships. Monica, a dedicated spouse and parent, served on the local homeowners association board, promoting parks and social activities that brought residents together.
Her family life was built around the home she shared with John and her son Martin. Despite apparent difficulties, she and John provided Martin with a place to live. Special occasions, including the birthday that immediately preceded the violence, highlighted her role as a stabilizing presence, blending quiet home life with events that emphasized appreciation for family and community.
She managed her responsibilities for the homeowners association alongside personal interests that reflected her practical and caring character. These included helping to care for common-area gardens and arranging informal neighborhood get-togethers to strengthen local connections. Her personal pastimes likely involved uncomplicated pleasures—such as reading historical fiction or baking for shared meals—that matched a lifestyle of intentional tranquility within suburban daily life.
As Powder Springs comes to terms with this profound loss, no public funeral details for Monica have been released as of December 11, according to Legacy.com and other local sources. The neighborhood, still in shock, is mourning the couple, whose legacy of goodwill remains in the friendly exchanges and community projects they supported—a somber reflection on how suddenly hidden strains can shatter the peace of everyday life.
