Christchurch woman Rachel Wagner shot dead by teen daughter in US, family trying to bring body home

• A Christchurch family are “devastated” after Rachel Wagner, 51, was shot dead by her daughter, Lilyana, 14, in Georgia, US.
• Wagner’s sister-in-law, Kiri Te Paea, said the family were struggling to raise the necessary $5000 - $32,000 to return Wagner’s body home.
• Lilyana has been charged with malice murder and is being held in a juvenile detention centre.

A Christchurch family are “devastated” after a Kiwi woman was shot dead in the US by her 14-year-old daughter.

Rachel Wagner, 51, had lived in the US for nearly three decades with an American husband, who she was separated from, and daughter Lilyana before the shooting last week.

Wagner’s sister-in-law, Christchurch resident Kiri Te Paea, said their family were “beside themselves” working tirelessly to get Wagner’s body home from Tifton County, Georgia while coming to terms with the fact Lilyana is facing a murder charge.

Te Paea claimed Lilyana had been homeschooled for several months, had a keen interest in guns and spent many hours online gaming. She was considered “withdrawn and anti-social” in the lead-up to the shooting, Te Paea said.

She said Lilyana was “[Wagner’s] whole world” and she worked two jobs to support her daughter.

“She gave her everything, they were best friends, she loved her baby so much.”

She said Wagner’s mum, stepdad and brother in Christchurch were “beside themselves” after getting the call from the US Coroner last week.

Wagner’s sister-in-law said Wagner’s daughter was her "whole world" and their family have been left devastated.

“[Wagner]‘s mum can’t even talk about it ... she’s really struggling to process it.”

She has been in contact with a co-worker of Wagner, who said Lilyana had become “withdrawn” recently after starting homeschooling due to bullying.

Te Paea said the teen had a “keen interest” in the shooting range and spent a lot of time online gaming.

Te Paea said police told the family after the shooting the teenager had stolen Wagner’s debit card, shaved her head and headed in her mum’s car towards Atlanta before flipping the vehicle.

Lilyana Wagner, 14, has been charged with murder after allegedly fatally shooting her mother. Photo / US Police

“Tifton police disclosed they found very disturbing content on Lilly’s phone indicating that this event was premeditated and may have had more than one target in mind.”

Te Paea said the family were “desperate” to get Wagner’s body back home, but are struggling to pull together the $5000 bill for cremated return or $32,000 for her body.

“We just want her home”.

The Tifton police department said last Tuesday at 8am local time police went to Wagner’s house to inform her of the car crash 157km away.

A statement said when they were unable to reach anyone inside the home, they called Wagner’s employer, who said she had not turned up to work.

It was then officers entered her home and found her dead in the back bedroom with a gunshot wound.

Lilyana has been charged with one count of malice murder and is being held in a juvenile detention centre.

The police department said they are working to establish a motive.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.

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