Valerie Gudger: 37-Year-Old Cleveland Mother Shot Multiple Times In Murder-Suicide
Valerie Marie Gudger, 37, of North Royalton, Ohio, was shot to death in a murder-suicide on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. She had three children.
Valerie Marie Gudger, 37, of North Royalton, Ohio, was someone that you gravitated to, according to a friend.
"If you don't like Valerie, there may have been something wrong with you, because ... everybody loved Val," childhood friend Melissa Barger told WKYC TV.
Gudger provided for her three children by working as a corrections officer at the Cuyahoga County Jail, but she was also an entrepreneur. She was the owner of A Bit of Bristol's Shabby Boutique, an online skincare and home decor boutique.
A corrections officer since 2017, Gudger served “with distinction,” according to her superiors.
On Thursday, September 16, 2021, Gudger was inside a vehicle with her boyfriend, Brandon Lee Smith, 41, who used to work as a Cuyahoga County Jailer. According to local media reports, the two were arguing inside the vehicle when things turned violent.
Police said Smith pulled a gun on Gudger and shot her. He then drove a short distance to a field, dragged her out of the vehicle and shot her again, according to law enforcement sources.
Smith then fled to a home, where he fatally shot himself after an eight-hour standoff with SWAT officers.
Gudger had just turned 37 two weeks before her death.
The murder has shocked those close to Gudger. “She didn't deserve that,” Barger told the TV station.
Gudger’s death is the second of a oval corrections officer in recent months.
Cuyahoga County Sheriff Christopher Viland shared his heartfelt loss in a statement:
“Our sincerest condolences go out to the friends and family of C.O. Gudger,” Viland said. “This is a tragedy that shouldn’t be suffered by any family. The loss of a second corrections officer to violent crime in the past several months will be difficult for all, including the many co-workers and friends who provide such admirable service to the citizens of this county every day.”
Domestic Violence Resources
National Domestic Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)