Murder-suicide drives mom into PTSD campaign

Murder-suicide drives mom into PTSD campaign
Says Rico Rawls returned from war a different man in need of help
Leaf-Chronicle
Written by
Tavia D. Green
July 14, 2013

CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — Dawn Sult-Williams doesn’t make promises she can’t keep.

On April 23, 2012, her heart heavy and face saturated in pain, she looked at her daughter, Spc. Jessica T. Rawls, for the last time and made a promise.

Jessica Rawls lay lifeless in the silk-lined casket. She was shot to death by her husband, Spc. Rico Rawls, who later committed suicide.

“I wrote her a letter, and I put it in her coffin,” Sult-Williams said, tears creeping from the corners of her eyes. “I told her I would do my best to keep the same thing from happening from someone else. I never make promises, but I promised her. That’s a big deal for me.”

On April 13, 2012, at about 10:22 a.m., Jessica Rawls, 27, and Rico Rawls were arguing in their Fort Campbell home. Rico retrieved a gun and shot Jessica once in her head and fled the home. Zoe, their 1-year-old daughter, was asleep upstairs at the time, according to an official Army investigation report.
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