Tara Langley

Tara Langley was a 48-year-old White woman from Bloomington, Indiana, who worked as a nurse. Remembered as funny and outgoing, she was known for wearing her heart on her sleeve and caring for others more than for herself.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, November 4, 2023, a neighbor on East State Road 45 in rural Monroe County called 911 around 1:30 a.m. to report a disturbance. The caller said a man was outside a nearby home, yelling. When deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they found 34-year-old Bryce Michael Leighton outside with what appeared to be blood on his hands and clothing. He was reportedly hysterical and shouting unintelligibly about his "baby."

Inside the house, deputies found a scene of disarray, with broken furniture, appliances, and glass strewn throughout the interior. In the attached garage, they discovered Tara Langley lying on the floor. She had been fatally shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators noted a massive amount of blood in the garage. Near her body, they located a civilian-style stun gun and a single spent rifle casing. An AR-15-style rifle was found on the floor near an exterior doorway.

Leighton, who had been in a relationship with Langley for seven years, was taken into custody. During questioning, he told detectives that he and Langley had been arguing. He claimed she had been drinking, became aggressive, and that he was trying to pack his things to leave. According to Leighton, Langley came toward him with the stun gun in her hand. He said he warned her not to come near him, and when the stun gun "popped," everything "went into a blur." He admitted the rifle was in his hands when it discharged.

Leighton was arrested and charged with murder. He was held at the Monroe County Correctional Center without bond. Investigators noted that evidence from the scene appeared to contradict a claim of self-defense. The probable cause affidavit stated that Leighton was standing just inside the exterior garage door when the shot was fired, while Langley was in the middle of the garage, and nothing was blocking his path to leave.

In late October 2026, the case went to trial. A Monroe County jury heard the evidence presented by prosecutors and the defense. After deliberation, the jury found Bryce Michael Leighton guilty of murder in the shooting death of Tara Langley. The case was concluded with the verdict in October 2026.