Neely Raye Pesognellie Petrie-Blanchard sentenced to life in prison following Qanon murder trial
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Following a trial process, in which 37-year-old Neely Raye Pesognellie Petrie-Blanchard represented herself in her murder trial of 50-year-old Christopher Hallett, jurors deliberated on Friday, April 19, 2024, for roughly 30 minutes before finding Petrie-Blanchard guilty of Murder in the First-Degree with a Firearm.
Petrie-Blanchard was indicted by a grand jury back in 2021 for one count of Premeditated Murder in the First Degree with a Firearm. Petrie-Blanchard had originally been arrested on November 16, 2020, in Lowndes County Georgia after a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office recognized her car matched the description entered into the national information center by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. MCSO officials had previously secured an arrest warrant on Petrie-Blanchard, who was determined to be the suspect in the homicide of Christopher Hallett just a day prior.
MCSO officials had responded to a residence off SW 34th Court Road in Ocala about a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the victim, Christopher Hallett, deceased on the kitchen floor from numerous gunshot wounds . Eyewitnesses on the scene identified the shooter as Petrie-Blanchard.
The witnesses stated to investigators that they had heard what they believed to be a firecracker go off. Upon further inspection, they exited their room into the living room, where they observed the victim near the kitchen, while Petrie-Blanchard was standing behind him holding a pistol.
The witnesses further told officials that Petrie-Blanchard had turned and aimed the gun at them, attempting to shoot but the firearm jammed, allowing them to flee to safety.
While turning, both witnesses revealed that Petrie-Blanchard stated something to the effect of “You’re hurting my children,” before firing off additional shots. It was later learned that Petrie-Blanchard had enlisted the help of Christopher Hallett in a last attempt to regain custody of Petrie-Blanchard’s children. Both Petrie-Blanchard and the victim were determined to be associated with and conducted activities consistent with the practices of the Sovereign Citizen movement, as well as the group QAnon.
Based upon the totality of the circumstances from the eyewitness accounts, along with the physical evidence collected at the scene, Petrie-Blanchard was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Herndon to Life in prison, and was taken into custody and remanded in the Marion County Jail to await her transport to the Florida Department of Corrections.
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