Lacy Jolee Boles, a 43-year-old Georgia woman, is on trial for allegedly killing her husband, Daniel Akers, and making the shooting appear to be a suicide. Boles has pleaded not guilty and maintains that Akers shot himself during a confrontation at the couple’s Paulding County home on December 22, 2019.
Prosecutors argue that Boles fired the fatal shot and arranged the scene to support a false suicide explanation. The defense says Akers was holding the gun when Boles rushed toward him, leading to a struggle and an accidental discharge. As of November 13, 2026, the trial is continuing and no verdict has been reported.
Who is Lacy Boles?
Lacy Boles is the defendant in a Paulding County, Georgia, murder case stemming from the death of her husband, Daniel Akers. Court coverage identifies Boles as a stay-at-home mother at the time of the shooting. Akers, 36, worked in the sheet-metal industry and had children with Boles.
The case gained renewed attention when jury selection began in November 2026, nearly seven years after Akers died. Boles was arrested in June 2020 after investigators concluded that the death should be treated as a homicide rather than a suicide.
She faces charges of malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault. The charges are allegations, and Boles is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
What happened to Daniel Akers?
Authorities were called to the couple’s home in December 2019 after Boles reported that Akers had shot himself. The fatal wound entered through Akers’ left nostril and traveled into his brain. A .22-caliber pistol was found near his body.
Boles told investigators that Akers had been holding the firearm in his left hand and had threatened to take his own life. According to the defense account, she moved toward him in an attempt to stop the shooting. The gun discharged during the struggle.
Investigators later questioned that explanation. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation classified Akers’ death as a homicide after examining the body and the available evidence. Prosecutors then presented the case as a shooting that had been staged to look like suicide.
Why do prosecutors say the murder scene was staged?
The prosecution’s theory is that Boles planned to know when Akers returned home, confronted him, shot him and then positioned evidence to support a suicide narrative.
One central detail is a Swiffer mop placed near a doorway. Prosecutor Jason Treadaway described it as a “booby trap” intended to alert Boles when Akers entered the home. The prosecution says that detail suggests Boles was monitoring his husband’s return and preparing for a confrontation.
The defense agrees that Boles placed the mop near the door, but offers a different explanation. Attorney Brian Steel said Boles had told Akers not to come home because she intended to seek a divorce. According to the defense, the mop was an alarm system meant to warn her that Akers had arrived, not part of a murder plan.
Prosecutors also focused on the gun’s location. Boles reportedly told police that Akers was right-handed but had held the firearm in his left hand. The gun was later found near his right side. The state argues that the apparent inconsistency supports its claim that the scene was manipulated.
The defense disputes that conclusion and has argued that the physical evidence must be considered alongside Boles’ account of a suicide intervention and struggle.
What did the jury hear during the first days of trial?
Opening statements began on November 11, 2026, in Paulding County Superior Court. The prosecution described the shooting as an ambush in the couple’s basement after Akers returned home with a McDonald’s order. Prosecutors said the couple had been experiencing financial and relationship problems.
The defense portrayed Akers as troubled and under severe pressure. Steel told jurors that Akers had become distant, faced financial difficulties and was dealing with problems connected to his employment and parole status. The defense says those circumstances support the possibility of suicide.
Jurors also heard Boles’ 911 call. In the recording, she cried and told the dispatcher that she believed Akers was dead. When asked about the firearm, Boles said it was nearby and clarified that she was not holding it.
Deputies who responded to the house described finding Akers in the basement with blood around his face. They also testified about blood near the gun, the stair rail and the wall. A McDonald’s bag and drink were found near the body, and one witness said the smell of fast food was strong in the room.
During the second day of testimony, jurors heard portions of Boles’ police interview. Coverage of the proceedings also described a bloody handprint on the McDonald’s bag, an item prosecutors may use to reconstruct what happened immediately before and after the gunshot.
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That evidence has not produced a finding of guilt. It is being presented and tested through testimony, cross-examination and the defense case.
What is the defense argument?
Boles’ defense is built around suicide and accidental discharge rather than intentional killing. According to the opening statement, Boles saw Akers with a gun pointed toward his mouth and moved toward him. The defense says the two struggled over the weapon and that it fired unintentionally.
Steel has argued that Boles’ statements to emergency dispatchers and investigators were consistent with a person reacting to a sudden crisis. The defense also challenges the state’s interpretation of the mop, the gun’s location and the other crime-scene details.
The defense has urged jurors not to decide the case based on how unusual the wound may appear. Instead, it argues that the state must establish exactly who fired the weapon and whether the evidence eliminates reasonable doubt.
Why was the Lacy Boles trial delayed?
Boles’ trial was originally scheduled for June 2026. Jury selection was interrupted after a prospective juror reportedly researched the case using ChatGPT and shared information with other potential jurors. The judge dismissed the panel after the issue came to light, and the trial was rescheduled for November.
Boles remained free on a reported $100,000 bond while awaiting trial. Jury selection for the new proceeding began on November 9, and opening statements followed on November 11.
What is the current status of the case?
As of November 13, 2026, the trial remains in progress. Testimony has focused on the 911 call, the first deputies at the scene, the firearm, the McDonald’s bag, the Swiffer placed near the door and Boles’ statements to investigators.
No verdict has been announced. The outcome will depend on whether jurors accept the prosecution’s theory that Boles intentionally killed Akers and staged the scene, or the defense theory that Akers died by suicide or during an accidental struggle.
The trial is being conducted in a Georgia courtroom, and every allegation presented by prosecutors remains subject to the state’s burden of proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is Lacy Boles?
Lacy Jolee Boles is a Georgia woman charged in the 2019 shooting death of her husband, Daniel Akers.
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What charges does Lacy Boles face?
She faces charges of malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault. She has pleaded not guilty.
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When did Daniel Akers die?
Akers died from a gunshot wound at the couple’s Paulding County home on December 22, 2019.
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What does the prosecution claim happened?
Prosecutors allege that Boles shot Akers and staged the scene to make his death appear to be a suicide.
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What does Boles’ defense claim happened?
The defense says Akers was attempting suicide and that the gun fired accidentally when Boles tried to stop him.
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What is the significance of the Swiffer mop?
Prosecutors describe it as a warning device or “booby trap” that helped Boles know when Akers returned home. The defense calls it an alarm system rather than evidence of a murder plan.
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Has Lacy Boles been found guilty?
No. As of November 13, 2026, the trial is ongoing and no verdict has been reported.
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Why was the trial postponed?
The first jury-selection effort was halted after a prospective juror researched the case online and shared information with other potential jurors.
The Lacy Boles case turns on a sharply disputed question: whether Daniel Akers died by suicide during a struggle or was intentionally shot by his wife in a staged scene. Prosecutors and the defense have offered competing interpretations of the same central evidence, and the jury must decide whether the state has proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
