Five years after her murder, a Leawood native who dedicated her life to helping others is still inspiring others to continue her legacy.
An advocate for pets and people in need, Georgia Petsch, 38, was murdered on Jan. 11, 2020, by her husband, Brandon Petsch, 41, in their Kansas City home. On Dec. 31, 2024, Brandon Petsch was sentenced in Jackson County District Court to 21 years in prison for second-degree murder.
Since her death, family and friends of Georgia continue to honor her by rescuing pets and helping raise awareness of domestic abuse.
“I think a lot of the time, we just bring her up and remember all the good she did, and try to incorporate that back through things that are happening now,” said Blythe Edelman, Georgia’s best friend and fellow pet rescue advocate.
‘We miss her every day’
A 2000 Shawnee Mission East graduate who grew up in Leawood, Georgia Petsch always wanted to help others, her parents, Don and Lori Leming, said.
“Georgia had a passion for helping others, whether they were four-legged animals or people,” Don Leming said.
Lori Leming added, “That was her passion for forever. She even rescued a horse once. It wasn’t just dogs and cats. It was any animal that needed rescuing.”
Turning her passion for helping others into a career, Georgia worked at Johnson County Developmental Supports, helping adults with developmental disabilities, while also volunteering at animal shelter The Rescue Project in Overland Park.
“She really enjoyed helping (others), doing the community service portion of it, and she became a lead in our group with that,” Emily Burrows, current outreach lead for The Rescue Project, said. “She left a big hole, that’s for sure. We miss her every day.”
Georgia was a victim of domestic violence
After meeting Brandon Petsch on a dating app, Georgia fell for him quickly, friends and family said.
Those close to Georgia were not as enamored with him, with Edelman describing him as “an odd duck.” After they got married in 2018, Georgia’s parents said he became controlling but didn’t realize he was abusive until after her death.
“All of her friends, when we got together and talked about (it), (we said) ‘How did we miss the signals that this kind of domestic violence was going on in her life?'” her father said.
While she was experiencing domestic violence, Georgia’s work never faltered. She continued helping rescue pets and was caring for three women as a certified nursing assistant, going so far as learning American Sign Language to communicate with one of them who was deaf.
Georgia was murdered in 2020
On Jan. 11, 2020, Kansas City police responded to a wellness check by Brandon’s father at the Petsches’ Kansas City home. They discovered Georgia’s body wrapped in an area rug and pronounced her dead on the scene from an apparent gunshot wound.
Kansas City police officers found Brandon Petsch unresponsive on a bed with a gun underneath his head, according to court documents. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was treated and released before being taken into custody.
A note discovered later and apparently authored by Brandon indicated the couple had been in an argument and that Brandon shot Georgia three times, according to a previous Johnson County Post report. He apologized for what he had done in the note.
For five years, Brandon Petsch’s second-degree murder case dragged out, friends and family said. Late last year, he was offered a plea deal that would have him serve prison time without the chance of an appeal.
“The Jackson County prosecutor’s office, they said that we should probably go along with [the plea deal], because ‘If you don’t, if there’s a conviction, then there might be grounds for an appeal,'” Don Leming said.
While Brandon Petsch’s sentencing was not as long as the Lemings had hoped, it was still some kind of punishment.
“The key part here is that once he (pleaded guilty), he gave up all rights to any appeal, and so, we feel like, suddenly, we had some say in the outcome of this and when it was going to end,” Don Leming said. “I think while we’re not 100% satisfied with the final sentence, we are relieved that Brandon Petsch is no longer controlling our lives.”
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office did not return a request for comment for this story.
Friends and family keep honoring Georgia
Following Georgia’s murder, an outpouring of support came in for both her family and pet rescue efforts.
Georgia’s family and friends donated and held fundraisers for the Rose Brooks Center in Kansas City, a resource center that gives victims of abuse and their pets the resources they need to escape domestic violence.
With Georgia keeping her abuse a secret, it also made those who loved her more aware of the signs of people experiencing domestic violence.
“We all learned from that, and we all have become our own little ambassadors, as far as getting the word out that, ‘You can get help, and here’s some of the resources available to you,'” Don Leming said.
Each of The Rescue Project’s vans are now emblazoned with a sticker with Georgia’s maiden name initials “GL” to honor her kind, caring nature.
“(It’s just) a way to remember her every time we get in that van and see her initials,” Burrow said. “Hopefully, she’ll follow us around and keep us safe because sometimes, we end up in maybe not-so-great areas, or in some situations that may or may not be the best when dealing with the community.”
Recently, several dogs that were in foster care at the Heart of America Humane Society in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, were named after Georgia, Edelman said.
Sometimes, all it takes is hearing a classic Ray Charles song to remind people of Georgia’s goofy, loving spirit, Edelman said.
“Whenever we hear ‘Georgia On My Mind,’ that always reminds us of her, and just sharing all the good memories, that’s another way we honor her,” she said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, a number of area organizations can provide resources to prevent and address it, including:
- Rose Brooks Center: (816) 861-6100
- HopeHouse: (816) 461-HOPE (4673)
- NewHouse: (816) 471-5800
- Safehome: (913) 262-2868
To help The Rescue Project, follow this link.
