Rachel Suzanne Wagner was sleeping in her bed when her 14-year-old daughter entered the room and shot her once in the back of the head. The homeschooled teenager had planned to carry out a mass shooting at her former middle school but changed targets, ultimately choosing to kill her mother instead, according to court documents and police reports.
Background
Rachel Wagner, 51, was a native of New Zealand who had lived in the United States for nearly three decades. She raised her daughter, Lilyana Wagner, as a homeschooled child in Tifton, Georgia. According to relatives, the teenager spent hours playing video games—particularly shooting games—while her mother worked. Family members told New Zealand-based outlet Stuff that Rachel would come home from work to find her daughter already immersed in gaming for extended periods.
The case came to light on Nov. 19, 2024, when Lilyana Wagner was involved in a car wreck. Police responding to the scene noted she claimed to live alone with her mother. When officers learned Rachel Wagner had not shown up for work that morning and could not be reached by phone, they conducted a welfare check at the family home.
The Investigation
Inside the residence, investigators from the Tifton Police Department discovered Rachel Wagner deceased in her bedroom from a single gunshot wound to the back of her head. Detectives soon uncovered Lilyana Wagner's extensive social media presence, which revealed she was "obsessed with school shooters and mass shootings" and had been actively planning a mass casualty event.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation joined the probe and found that the teenager used multiple apps to communicate with online contacts who encouraged her violent intentions. These conversations continued even after Lilyana was taken to the hospital following the car crash, which occurred after she killed her mother.
Lilyana Wagner confessed to the killing in a handwritten letter recovered by investigators. She wrote: "This whole thing was a last-minute choice. I was going to commit a school shooting at my old middle school but chose this instead." The confession identified six mass shooters as inspiration for "the whole event."
The weapon used—a firearm legally purchased from a pawnshop—had been kept in the teenager's bedroom with her mother's permission, according to Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Patrick Warren.
Lilyana Wagner, now 16, pleaded guilty to felony murder and aggravated assault. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Key Takeaways
- Rachel Suzanne Wagner, 51, was shot and killed by her daughter while sleeping in her Tifton, Georgia home on Nov. 19, 2024
- The teenager had planned a school shooting at her former middle school but instead targeted her mother
- Investigators discovered extensive online communications with individuals who encouraged her violent plans
- Lilyana Wagner confessed to the murder in a handwritten letter naming mass shooters as inspiration
- The gun used was legally purchased and stored in the teen's bedroom with parental consent
What's Next
The case has prompted warnings from prosecutors about the dangers of unregulated online influence on teenagers. District Attorney Patrick Warren urged parents to monitor their children's screen activity, stating: "It is your duty to know who is influencing your child, and it is your duty to know what they are being taught to believe is acceptable." The sentence allows for parole eligibility after three decades of incarceration.