An Ohio doctor who once wrote an academic paper on the psychology of teenage killers was fatally shot in a murder plot allegedly orchestrated by her own 18-year-old daughter, authorities said.

Tamela Dutcher, 55, was pronounced dead at a hospital after being shot by two men in her Delaware County home on August 14. Her daughter, Bryanna Dutcher, 18, her boyfriend Christian Evans, 20, and his roommate Dajameous Payne, 21, have been indicted in connection with the slaying. A forensic examination of Bryanna Dutcher's phone revealed text messages with Evans that detailed the plot, according to court documents.

In a grim coincidence, Tamela Dutcher, a central Ohio doctor, co-authored a 2002 paper for the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health that examined violence committed by children. The paper, published 24 years before her death, warned that "children and youth are being killed or are killing at an ever-increasing pace." It also noted that while most adolescent offenders are male, "those few girls who kill tend to kill family members."

The Fatal Shooting

The incident began when Tamela Dutcher's husband called 911 reporting that his wife had been shot. He could be heard on the recording asking, "What the hell did you do?" Approximately 10 seconds later, he reported a second gunshot and saw someone flee the home. Police responded to the residence and transported Tamela Dutcher to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She had been shot in the back of the neck.

Investigators found a second bullet lodged in a wall, near where her husband had been standing while attempting to aid her. Court documents allege one of the men also fired at the husband but missed. Tamela Dutcher's husband told deputies that approximately 100 guns were kept in the home, including a .380-caliber pistol that matched shell casings recovered at the scene.

Investigation and Confessions

When initially interviewed by police at the hospital, Bryanna Dutcher denied any knowledge of the attack, despite being present in the home. She claimed she did not know if the back door was locked and stated she would have seen anyone enter. She also asserted she could not think of anyone who would want to harm her parents, though she mentioned a friend of her mother's owed her money.

Under further questioning, Bryanna Dutcher revealed she was dating Christian Evans, who is Black, and stated her parents were "very racist." She believed they would have disapproved of the relationship. She also admitted that months earlier, Evans' friend, Dajameous Payne, had threatened to kidnap her family, expressing fear of him.

Bryanna Dutcher later confessed to arguing with her mother about cleaning shortly before the shooting. She claimed her mother punched her in the nose, though this was not immediately corroborated by evidence. She stated she then spoke with Evans by phone, who allegedly responded, "If I were you, I would have killed her."

Evans and Payne reportedly arrived at the Dutcher residence later that evening. Bryanna Dutcher told detectives she remained at home due to chores. About 15 minutes later, she heard a gunshot. Police believe Bryanna Dutcher repeatedly provided false information to investigators, hindering the identification of leads and suspects.

Evidence and Arrests

Surveillance cameras showed Evans' car near the scene shortly after the shooting, and later tracked it heading toward the West Virginia border. Investigators traced the vehicle back to Evans' home, where he and Payne were observed dumping white garbage bags. The bags contained part of a gun holster and two pairs of black pants. Both men were arrested.

During his arrest, Evans reportedly said, "Sorry for what we did." Evans' father provided investigators with Life360 data placing his son near Tamela Dutcher's home around the time of the murder, along with a text message from his son stating he "f***ed up."

A text exchange between Bryanna Dutcher and Evans appears to foreshadow the killing. Evans allegedly told Bryanna that "they need to be hidden once they both pass away" and urged her to obtain a gun. Bryanna Dutcher allegedly replied with instructions on their presence in the house. The documents state Evans told Bryanna they were preparing and putting on gloves before instructing her to "tale (sic) them both out at the same time," a command she agreed to.

"This has to be perfect," Evans allegedly wrote, to which Bryanna Dutcher replied, "I'll just take them down." He then reportedly asked Bryanna about her plan and her knowledge of forensics. Her final message noted in the affidavit was, "river or burn."

Bryanna Dutcher was initially charged with obstructing justice but later faced upgraded charges. All three individuals have been indicted on charges of aggravated murder. A $3 million bond was set for Bryanna Dutcher, Evans, and Payne, with orders for no contact with each other or Tamela Dutcher's family. Additional charges are expected in connection with the alleged attempted murder of Bryanna's father.