Roanoke, VA: Roanoke couple's violent history ends in ex-wife's death

Roanoke police said Heather Dehart, 40, was shot fatally by her ex-husband, who then shot himself.
By Amanda Codispoti
981-3334

Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times
A Roanoke police officer allows a resident of Roanoke Avenue Southwest to retrieve items Tuesday from his home located near the scene of an early-morning shooting on the street.

Three months after Terry and Heather Dehart's 2007 wedding in Salem, the trouble began.

There were protective orders to keep Terry from his wife, a divorce, assault charges, court-ordered anger management classes and reconciliation.

The couple's tumultuous relationship climaxed Tuesday, when police said Terry Dehart fatally shot his ex-wife just before 2 a.m., and then turned the gun on himself in a failed suicide attempt.

Heather Dehart, 40, a staff member at National College in Salem, was found dead on the front steps of a house in Roanoke's Norwich neighborhood two doors down from the home she and her ex-husband shared in the 1600 block of Roanoke Avenue Southwest.

Terry Wayne Dehart, 44, a self-employed plasterer, was found wounded inside his house. He was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where his condition wasn't available Tuesday. He has not been charged.

Dehart's death is the second domestic-related Roanoke homicide in less than a week, and comes after police said 2010 was marked by an alarming increase in domestic violence, including four domestic-related homicides.

On Friday, Rickshell Jones, 20, of Roanoke died after an assault that police said was committed by her boyfriend, Darryl Dennard Thompson, 21.

Heather Dehart's father, James Langford, said the couple's problems stemmed from Terry's use of drugs.

"I thought he was doing better," Langford said. "If it hadn't been for that, they would have had a pretty good life."

Heather Dehart, who has a grown son from a previous relationship, worked as an administration support staff member at National College in Salem, processing enrollment and financial aid applications. She also was a student there, pursuing a master's degree in accounting, her father said.

National College considered Heather Dehart a valued staff member, student and friend of many, the college said in a statement. "We are deeply saddened to hear of her death," the statement said.

Terry Dehart runs his business, Terry Dehart Plastering, out of the Roanoke Avenue house, according to a telephone directory listing. He dropped out of school after the eighth grade, according to the couple's marriage license.

The Deharts' next-door neighbor, Tasha Shelor, 33, who has lived on the block for 11 years, said it wasn't uncommon to hear the couple fighting and to see police at the house.

"But nothing like this," Shelor said. "This is just crazy."

Terry Dehart's criminal record reveals a man with a temper so uncontrolled that in 2006 he assaulted a 14-year-old at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Dehart testified at his trial that he went to the school after getting a call about his son, who was actually a student at Patrick Henry High School.

At the middle school, he scolded a student who'd littered in the hallway. The two exchanged words, and surveillance video showed Dehart knocking the student's lunch tray out of his hands. The student fought back, and Dehart punched him in the stomach. He was arrested later at Patrick Henry High School. He served 30 days in jail for the assault.

Three months after his June 2007 wedding to Heather Dehart, a magistrate issued her an emergency protective order, which expired after 72 hours, according to court records.

Another protective order was issued in March 2008, after the couple had separated. In April 2008, Heather Dehart filed to terminate the order.

The couple divorced in September 2008, according to court records, but some time later, they reconciled. Terry Dehart's father, George Dehart, said their problems resumed.

In November 2009, Terry Dehart was charged with assaulting Heather Dehart and violating a protective order. It was unclear when that protective order was issued.

A judge took the assault charge under advisement and ordered Terry Dehart to attend anger management classes.

A second assault charge came in 2009. The arresting officer wrote that Terry Dehart threw a cellphone at Heather Dehart, hitting her on the hand. Terry Dehart was found not guilty.

The Deharts showed little affection toward each other, said Candy Salyers, a National College student who had known them about 10 years from their former Northeast Roanoke neighborhood.

"Something wasn't right between them," Salyers said. "I just didn't think it would end up like this."

Terry Dehart's latest arrest was on a charge of malicious wounding in February that didn't involve his ex-wife, said his attorney, Deborah Caldwell-Bono of Roanoke. She said Dehart hit another man over the head with a tire iron after the victim instigated a fight.

That charge is expected to go before a Roanoke County grand jury Friday, according to court records.

"I have every reason to believe that he would have prevailed at trial," Caldwell-Bono said. "Certainly that stress just made things worse."