A Pickett County man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison at 100% after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife, according to the district attorney. The victim, 72-year-old Theresa Marie Foutch, was found inside the couple's Byrdstown home during a welfare check on July 13, 2025.
The defendant, 72-year-old Johnny Ray Foutch, entered the plea Monday in Pickett County criminal court. Prosecutors say he will serve the entire term in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Investigation and original charge
Special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took over the case after Pickett County deputies responded to a welfare check and reported hearing a gunshot as they approached the home, according to a TBI statement reported by TBINewsroom. Deputies found Theresa Foutch inside with a gunshot wound, and she later died at the scene.
Authorities arrested her husband, Johnny Foutch, and initially charged him with first-degree murder, as noted in contemporaneous coverage of the first-degree murder charge.
Plea and sentence
In a Facebook post, 13th Judicial District Attorney Bryant C. Dunaway said Foutch pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder and was sentenced to "20 years in the custody of the Department of Corrections at 100% day for day." Bryant C. Dunaway's Facebook post identified the victim as Theresa Marie Foutch and noted that her adult sons told the court they supported the sentence.
The plea resolves the case that began with the July 2025 investigation into the shooting at the couple's home.
What investigators say happened
According to the DA's post, Pickett County Chief Deputy Steve Wilbur reported hearing a male and female voice arguing inside the home, followed by a gunshot. An unidentified woman then yelled, "he’s got a gun." The post states that Foutch walked out of the residence holding a Sig Sauer handgun and that investigators found a spent shell casing on the dining room floor about 10 to 15 feet from Theresa Foutch’s body.
An autopsy performed by Dr. Shannon Crook concluded that the manner of death was homicide and the cause was a gunshot wound to the back, the district attorney wrote. Bryant C. Dunaway's Facebook post
Court background
Foutch faced a first-degree murder charge after his arrest following the July 13, 2025 shooting, according to the earlier TBI statement reported by TBINewsroom. The district attorney's office said the plea was entered in Pickett County criminal court and that sentencing was imposed as part of the plea agreement.
With the plea accepted, the county's criminal docket will now reflect the judgment and the term to be served by Foutch.
Family reaction
The DA's post said the adult sons of Theresa Foutch were supportive of the sentence. Court records and the Pickett County clerk will reflect the official judgment and sentencing entry.
