Justice for Tanya Schultz

On May 5th, 2005, Tonya was brutally and senselessly murdered by her husband, Andrew Ronald "Ronnie" Schultz. Ronnie executed Tonya by shooting her TWICE with a single shot shotgun, and he committed this despicable crime IN FRONT OF THEIR TWO CHILDREN, Kenny and Ava, ages 4 and 2 respectively. Tonya was 39 years old at the time of her death, and she loved her kids more than anything in the world. Now Kenny and Ava have a very bleak future to look forward to. They now are without either parent.

November 29th, 2005, Ronnie pleaded guilty to the first degree murder of Tonya in Wicomico County Circuit Court in Salisbury, Maryland. The State's Attorney, in his narrative to the court, gave graphic details of how Ronnie murdered Tonya in front of their two kids, and how he took the time to reload a single shot shotgun in order to shoot her a second time. He testified that Kenny and Ava had their mommie's blood on their clothes at the time police arrived. He testified that Ronnie openly confessed to the arriving deputies from the Wicomico County Sherriff's Office what he had done. Tonya's blood was also found on his pants as well. Tonya had tried to call for help, but the phone, which was still in her hand, had been ripped from the wall. Ronnie EXECUTED her, there is no other way to word it.

Then, in the ultimate slap in the face to Tonya, as well as her family and friends, the State's Attorney announced that "as part of the plea agreement for Ronnie pleading guilty to first degree premeditated murder, the state would NOT seek life in prison without the possibilty of parole" Under Maryland state law, Ronnie could be eligible for parole in AS LITTLE AS 15 YEARS!!! This was a shock to everyone who loved and cared for Tonya, and we feel that the state let us down by not seeking to put Ronnie away for the rest of his miserable life without parole. How they can "bargain" with him after brutally committing first degree murder in front of two children is beyond our realm of comprehension. It is nothing more than a token sentence, and it certainly does not offer any justice for the life sentence that Ronnie imposed upon Tonya. All of Tonya's friends and family are insulted by the State's Attorney's decision to "cut him a break" in return for his plea of guilty.