Lawrenceville Man Sentenced to Life for Killing Estranged Wife

A Lawrenceville man will serve life in prison for killing his estranged wife after initially telling police that she shot herself in his apartment.

A Gwinnett County jury found Glenroy Roberts, 53, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for the August 2022 shooting death of his wife, 45-year-old Claudia Dionne Roberts.

“This couple has sons who have to grow up without either of their parents at home,” said Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “Domestic violence is a tragedy. We extend our condolences to each and every loved one and member of this family.”

On Aug. 2, 2022, police responded to a 911 call reporting a fatal shooting from Glenroy Roberts’ apartment. He told the emergency operator that his wife took his gun from his closet, and as he tried to wrestle the weapon from her, it fired, killing her. He later told the police that he was not in the room where she found the gun and that he heard gunfire and came running. Roberts said he entered the room to find his wife dead in the closet from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Their youngest son, then 10 years old, was in the apartment at the time of the shooting. He told investigators he heard the gunfire and said he heard at least four shots. Investigators found evidence indicating that Claudia Roberts had been shot in the head and that her fatal injuries could not have been self-inflicted.

A jury deliberated for about two hours before finding Roberts guilty on all charges. Roberts was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus five years.

Assistant District Attorneys Michele Sims and Chris Huslak prosecuted the case with assistance from DA’s Investigator J.D. Smith.