What Davey Blackburn First Thought When He Saw His Wife’s Dead Body

The murder of pastor’s wife Amanda Blackburn—and her pre-born child—shocked the world last year, putting the family’s faith in the spotlight.  

Recently, her widower, Davey, sat down with Perry Noble to recount stories of Amanda before “the event,” along with their calling story and how he has been able to glorify God through the process.  

“Long before anybody took Amanda’s life, she laid it down,” Blackburn told Noble. Blackburn was on staff at Noble’s NewSpring Church before moving to Indianapolis to plant Resonate Church.  

“Amanda, she was the backbone of this. She provided encouragement for me during times in which I felt like throwing down the towel,” Blackburn said. “…She would just speak life into me and say, ‘I believe in you, and Jesus is going to make this happen and build His church.'” 

Then, as the couple was building their church and family, the unthinkable happened.  

“It was supposed to be a pretty normal Tuesday,” Blackburn says.  

He had his quiet time before heading out to the gym and returning home.  

“And I walk in to discover my worst nightmare become reality. I found Amanda face down on the floor of our living room in a pool of blood. Honestly, I really don’t know how to describe emotions that go through you in that moment. A lot of shock, a lot of adrenaline. Honestly, I didn’t know what had happened and I think that was kind of the grace of God in that moment. I had no idea she’d been shot, had no idea. Some things looked out of place, but she was three months pregnant, and I think the Lord had been preparing me, honestly, I can’t describe why this is, but the Lord had been preparing me and us that we were about to walk through a season of pain, and I had this fear we were going to lose the baby. I just did.” 

Amanda was still breathing when he found her, but he didn’t know there were gunshot wounds.  

He says the next month was a blur, and Amanda eventually died from her wounds.  

“The thing I would never forget is that in the 24 hours we were waiting—all of her family, all of my family—we gathered around her hospital bed, and we didn’t know what else to do but to worship,” Blackburn says.  

Even now, it goes back to the prayer the couple had said together throughout their marriage: “Lord, whatever you have planned, we surrender to you.”