Content warning: This article describes intimate partner violence. Please take care while reading.
911 calls have surfaced, revealing escalating tensions involving Heaven Glisson and her ex-fiancé, Donald Bryant, in the days leading up to a tragic double-murder suicide in Independence, Kentucky.
(Police reports mispelled Glisson’s name, “Heavan Glison” leading to it being spelled that way in early reporting. Glisson’s name was spelled “Heaven Glisson” and was corrected in subsequent reports.)
My stepdaughter’s ex-boyfriend “will not leave”
Police arrived, did CPR on Bradford, before he went to hospital. Police searched woods near apartments. 2 hrs later, 5-8 shots heard. Police found Bryant and his former fiancé, Heaven Glisson, shot to death. They say Bryant shot Glisson, then himself. @Local12 pic.twitter.com/dt9MwZSNSi
— David Winter (@DavidWinterTV) September 22, 2025
According to WXIX, Glisson’s family contacted authorities several times before the tragic incident, expressing serious concerns about Bryant’s behavior. One call, someone from Glisson’s family said, “My stepdaughter’s ex-boyfriend is at her apartment and will not leave. He’s not on the lease. She moved out here to get away from him. He’s threatening to kill himself in front of the kids.”
Another call from Glisson herself detailed another disturbing encounter: “He followed me out to the parking lot while I was trying to leave and was trying to get my phone, and grabbed it out of my pocket, and he took off back in the house,” the 911 call transcript said.
The double-murder suicide
The tragic sequence began late Sunday evening on September 21, 2025, when Independence police responded to a report of a shooting at the Taylor Ridge apartment complex on Regal Ridge Drive. Upon arrival, officers found Bradford in critical condition.
Bryant and Glisson fled into nearby woods, prompting a large-scale search involving drones, canines, and a SWAT team. At approximately 3 a.m., authorities discovered the bodies of Bryant and Glisson in the woods; they pronounced Glisson dead at the scene, while Bryant died by suicide. Bradford, who is believed to have intervened when he heard sounds of a struggle coming from Glisson’s apartment. succumbed to his injuries early Tuesday morning.
Glisson and Bryant had previously been engaged and shared a child who was just a few months old. Family members, including Glisson’s grandmother, Kristina Cochran, revealed that Glisson had confided in them about Bryant’s abusive behavior. After ending the engagement, Glisson moved to the apartment complex to escape his influence. Despite her efforts, Bryant’s persistent harassment ultimately led to the tragic events.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, immediate help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers confidential support 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233 or through their website at thehotline.org.
