Man who killed woman and her 5 year old dies in prison

HARTSVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) – The man serving life sentences for the murder of a mother and child in Bradley County has died in prison.

Prison officials says 34 Ross Anderson committed suicide, but the death is under investigation.

He was convicted of shooting Rachael Johnson, who he lived with, and her five year old son in 2015, both shot in the head.

Prosecutors told the Cleveland Daily Banner that they wanted to try for the death penalty, but were afraid he would get off by an insanity defense.

Instead, they agreed to a plea deal for multiple life terms in prison.

He died after serving just one year, on the third anniversary of the murders.