MISSOURI — What began as a night of reckless amusement inside a Missouri home ended in unspeakable tragedy when a teenage girl lost her life during a deadly game of Russian roulette. The shocking incident occurred on January 3, 2025, and has since left an entire family shattered, haunted by the memory of a single pull of a trigger that changed everything.
Authorities say the fatal shooting happened when a 19-year-old woman, identified as Mary Cornelius, was handling a revolver inside the home where she had been living with the family. According to investigators, she was spinning the firearm around her finger when it suddenly discharged. The bullet struck 16-year-old Mattison Johnson, who collapsed instantly as her younger sisters watched in disbelief and horror.
Emergency crews responded to frantic 911 calls from the home, but when they arrived, the teenager was already gone. Police described the scene as heartbreaking, with the victim’s sisters still in shock and struggling to comprehend what had just occurred. The bullet wound to her head was fatal, and paramedics could do nothing to save her.
Mary Cornelius remained at the scene, visibly distraught, and immediately told officers what had happened. She admitted that she had been playing a game of Russian roulette — a deadly act involving a partially loaded gun and pure chance. Investigators quickly took her into custody as crime scene technicians began gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Court documents later revealed that Cornelius had not intended to harm anyone but had been carelessly handling the weapon in front of the younger girls. The single round fired during the so-called “game” turned fatal, ending one young life and altering many others forever. Her admission of guilt, combined with witness accounts from the victim’s sisters, painted a clear and devastating picture of the moments leading up to the shooting.
After several months of legal proceedings, Cornelius pleaded guilty to charges related to involuntary manslaughter. The judge, acknowledging both the remorse she expressed and the permanent damage caused, sentenced her to seven years in prison. The ruling was met with tears in the courtroom as family members on both sides grappled with grief, guilt, and the irreversible consequences of one senseless act.
For the two surviving sisters, the trauma of that night remains vivid. One of them, the youngest, was the first to notice the blood. That image, investigators said, is something she will carry for the rest of her life. Counselors and community organizations have since offered support to the family as they try to rebuild after a tragedy that still feels unreal.
Neighbors described the family as close-knit and deeply loving, saying they could never have imagined such horror happening inside their quiet home. Many in the community were left shaken by the case, a grim reminder of the lethal consequences of mishandling firearms — particularly among young people unaware of how quickly curiosity or carelessness can turn deadly.
As the investigation concluded and the sentencing was handed down, police and prosecutors emphasized the importance of firearm safety and accountability. They urged families to keep guns secured and out of reach, stressing that even a single moment of negligence can destroy multiple lives.
Mattison Johnson’s death has since become a painful lesson for those who knew her and for the wider community. Her memory, loved ones say, is a reminder of a bright life cut tragically short — a life that ended not through malice, but through one irreversible mistake that will echo in the hearts of those left behind forever.