Brynn Omdahl had a short temper had a tough time controlling her anger. She also abused alcohol and drugs. She was in and out of rehab, but it seemed that she wasn’t able to kick the habit. On the evening of May 27, 1998, the couple had another fight. According to Hartman’s friend, the two typically argued about Omdahl’s drug use, and the situation would get heated. Their fights ended with Hartman retreating to their bedroom to sleep, and when the next day came, things between them would be normal again, per People. That night, however, Hartman would never wake up.

After the fight, Hartman retreated to their bedroom and slept. Before 3 a.m. on May 28, Omdahl got one of the guns they kept at home and shot the sleeping Hartman three times — two in the head and one on the right side of his body; his death was instant. According to Biography, Omdahl then drowned herself in alcohol and went to her friend Ron Douglas’ house to confess what she did. On their way back to the couple’s home, Omdahl phoned her friend Judy and told her what happened. Judy raced to the couple’s home and met up with Omdahl and Douglas. Upon confirming that his friend, indeed, killed her husband, Douglas called 911 and reported Hartman’s murder. By the time authorities arrived at the scene, Omdahl had locked herself in the bedroom and shot herself with the same gun she used to kill Hartman.