Alabama woman gunned down by abusive ex-husband after judge let him keep his weapons

A judge in Ardmore, Alabama twice denied Debra Ann Rivera protective orders against her ex-husband, Darwin Brazier — including requests that his firearms be taken away from him due to alleged stalking. On Sunday, Brazier killed Rivera, two other people and himself.

The Decatur Daily reported Tuesday that Brazier on Sunday killed his ex-wife and her husband Radex Rivera, along with the couple's roommate James Hayward-Boger.

Rivera had most recently filed for a protective order on March 1, 2018 after her ex allegedly called her so much that she had to change her phone number. Limestone County Circuit Judge Chad Wise granted the order on a temporary basis, but on April 10 declined to make the order permanent.

In March of 2017, Rivera petitioned Judge Wise to issue a protection-from-abuse order against Brazier and asked that his firearms be surrendered. The judge denied the request.

"In the 2017 petition, Rivera alleged that Brazier had stolen her personal contacts and had placed a GPS tracker in her car," the Daily's report noted. "She claimed he provided personal information about her to a convicted felon so the felon could harass her."