Man’s estranged wife faces murder charge in shooting outside Pearl River County courthouse
Pearl River County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a Tuesday shooting death outside the new courthouse on South Main Street, Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison confirmed.
The Sheriff’s Department received a report of shots fired at the courthouse around 12:15 p.m.., Allison said
The shooting resulted in the death of James Ray Saucier, 62, of Poplarville. Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said Saucier died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Saucier and his estranged wife, Tanya Lindell Saucier, had just had a hearing in their divorce case at 10 a.m. in Pearl River County Chancery Court., records show.
Tanya Saucier, a retired Army veteran, is now in custody. Poplarville police made the arrest, Allison said. Jail records show Saucier is held in the Pearl River County jail on a murder charge.
James Saucier’s attorney, Donald Rafferty, witnessed the shooting. He said the estranged couple had just negotiated a divorce settlement in Chancery Court.
“It’s just tragic and senseless, and now, we have a man dead,” Rafferty said.
The shooting happened after the hearing.
Rafferty said he was near his client when the shooting started near the courthouse entryway.
“I was right behind him and getting some papers signed,” Rafferty said. “After the hearing, she went down, got in her truck to grab her gun, and came back and shot him twice.”
Tanya Saucier pointed the gun at her lawyer, Jansen Owen, before dropping the weapon and being taken into custody, Rafferty said.
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David Davis, an employee at Hall’s Service Station on the corner near the courthouse, said he was outside and witnessed the shooting. “I just hear pow — like 5 shots,” he said. He saw gun smoke and saw people start running. He said more shots followed. Police arrived within a minute, he said.
Tanya Saucier was a customer at the service station, and Davis said she was usually polite and soft spoken. The public shooting left him and his co-workers shocked.
“It was wild for a small town, Davis said.
Johanna Peterson, the sister in law of James Saucier’s sister, stood with his grieving family at the courthouse.
She described him as a “very good man” who was retired from Ingalls Shipbuilding. Peterson said James and Tanya Saucier were together on and off but that James’ family had repeatedly tried to warn law enforcement that his wife could be dangerous. “There are so many questions,” she said.
Tanya Saucier filed for divorce from her estranged husband in Pearl River Chancery Court in December 2023. The filing came two months after a grand jury indicted James Saucier on a felony charge of aggravated assault domestic violence.
In the criminal case, James Saucier was accused of shooting Tanya Saucier in the face on Sept. 1, 2023, resulting in the loss of her eye.
James was an outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting, said his brother in law, Wordie Carroll. Carroll described James and Tanya’s relationship as “violent.” He said they had been together for at least two years.
“Today they were supposed to end the hostilities,” he said.
Carroll said Tanya Saucier had mood swings and was “not as rational” after she returned from duty in Iraq. He said the family warned James to stay away from her.
“She needed help,” he said. “She didn’t get it.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2024 at 1:38 PM.
