Teen killed sleeping mom when she took away phone, TN cops say. He’s sentenced

A 16-year-old mad at his mom for confiscating his phone crept into her room while she was asleep and fatally shot her, according to authorities in Tennessee.

Shawn Tyler Willis, now 21, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, the Anderson County District Attorney General announced Aug. 12.

In April 2020, 38-year-old Sandy Willis got home from her night shift and argued with her son after she took away his cell phone, according to prosecutors and her family.

Eventually she headed upstairs and went to bed, but investigators said her son slipped into the room after she fell asleep and grabbed her gun off her nightstand, according to court documents obtained by WVLT.

Law enforcement said he loaded the gun in another room so she wouldn’t hear, then he went back to her bedroom and shot her twice, killing her, WATE reported.

Shawn Tyler Willis was later interviewed and confessed to killing his mother, both outlets reported from court documents. Records show he was booked in Anderson County jail in September 2020.

“The sentence in this case was heavily influenced by restrictions our State has placed on sentences for juveniles convicted of murder,” prosecutors said.

The district attorney general’s office confirmed he was prosecuted as an adult.

According to Sandy Willis’ obituary, the wife and mom “loved horses, butterflies, flowers, reading books, arts & crafts (and) sewing, but she loved her boys and family most of all.”

Anderson County is part of the Knoxville metropolitan area.

This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Teen killed sleeping mom when she took away phone, TN cops say. He’s sentenced."