Deanna Laney was a resident of New Chapel Hill, Texas, a small community near Tyler. She was known as a devoted mother and an active member of her local Assemblies of God church, where she sang in the choir. Laney was deeply religious, and those around her saw her as a caring and loving mother to her three sons: Joshua, Luke, and Aaron. However, in the months leading up to the tragic events, Laney began exhibiting signs of severe mental distress. She reported experiencing visions and hearing voices, which she interpreted as divine communications. Laney believed that God was instructing her to prepare for the end times and to "get her house in order."

On the night of May 9, 2003, Deanna Laney experienced what she perceived as a divine command to kill her children. Believing she was acting under God's orders, she took her 8-year-old son, Joshua, outside their home and used a large rock to strike him multiple times in the head, resulting in his death. She then repeated this act with her 6-year-old son, Luke, killing him in a similar manner. Afterward, Laney attempted to kill her 14-month-old son, Aaron, by striking him with a rock in his crib. Aaron survived but sustained severe head injuries.

Following these actions, Laney called 911, calmly informing the dispatcher that she had killed her children. When authorities arrived, they found Joshua and Luke deceased and Aaron critically injured. Laney was taken into custody without resistance.

During her trial in 2004, multiple forensic psychiatrists testified that Laney was suffering from severe psychotic delusions at the time of the murders. They concluded that she was unable to discern right from wrong due to her mental state. The defense argued that Laney's actions were the result of untreated mental illness, leading her to believe she was fulfilling a divine command. After deliberation, the jury found Laney not guilty by reason of insanity. Consequently, she was committed to the Kerrville State Hospital, a mental health facility, for treatment.

Laney remained at Kerrville State Hospital for nearly eight years. In May 2012, after evaluations by mental health professionals deemed her no longer a threat to herself or others, she was released from the institution. Her release was met with mixed reactions from the community, with some expressing concern and others believing she had served her time in treatment.