Brynn Hartman was born Vicki Jo Omdahl in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, on April 11, 1958. Before she married comedian Phil Hartman, she worked as a model and had aspirations of becoming an actress. Friends later described her as a woman who struggled to find her own identity and success, feeling overshadowed by her husband’s fame.

Brynn met Phil Hartman on a blind date in 1986, and they married in 1987. The couple had two children, Sean and Birgen, and outwardly seemed to have a stable family life in Encino, California. However, privately, their marriage was troubled by Brynn’s long-standing substance abuse and issues with jealousy. She entered rehab several times and often lashed out verbally and physically.

Phil attempted to support her ambitions by helping her pursue acting opportunities, but Brynn became increasingly reliant on alcohol and prescription medication. Close friends said she was threatened by Phil’s professional success and felt insecure in Hollywood’s competitive environment. On multiple occasions, Phil took their children out of the house when Brynn’s behavior escalated under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Brynn sometimes fixated on Phil’s friendships, including his close bond with Saturday Night Live colleague Jan Hooks. She even drafted threatening letters warning Hooks not to get close to her husband, though these were never mailed and were discovered only after her death.

On May 27, 1998, Brynn spent the evening drinking and using cocaine. She and Phil argued before he went to sleep. Sometime before dawn, Brynn entered their bedroom and shot Phil three times as he slept, once between the eyes, once in the neck, and once in the chest, with a .38-caliber revolver.

Afterward, she drove to her friend Ron Douglas’s home and confessed to the killing. When Douglas didn’t believe her, they returned to the Hartman house separately. There, he discovered Phil’s body and called 911.

While police were removing the couple’s children from the home, Brynn locked herself in the bedroom. She ended her life with a second revolver. The murder shocked the entertainment world, as Phil Hartman was beloved for his roles on Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, and NewsRadio.

Brynn’s substance abuse and feelings of insecurity were widely cited as key factors in the tragedy. Their children were later raised by Brynn’s sister and brother-in-law.