The Tragic Death of Elite Millionaire Lance Herndon

Lance Herndon was a 41-year-old computer consulting company owner who worked his way up the ladder in the tech industry. His socialite reputation became known in Roswell, Georgia, due to his interactions with local professionals at parties and business-related events. He was associated with politicians, which contributed to the establishment of his popularity as a notable entrepreneur. His millionaire status made him one of the top entrepreneurs in Fulton County during the mid-1990s.

Along with Lance’s successful business and popular status came attention from women. One woman who stood out was Dionne Andrea Baugh, a MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) executive secretary, who thrived in her career. She was also highly regarded due to her success at only 27 years old.

Lance had a harem of women, and his lustful escapades were known, but they didn’t overshadow or compromise his professional reputation. Although he went on many dates with multiple women (including a few who were married at the time), he had been through three marriages (and three divorces) and basked in his image as a ladies' man. He was a player and chose to sow his oats while remaining uncommitted to the women he wined, dined, and bedded. Unfortunately, little did he know that he would cross paths with a jealous, vengeful woman who wanted him all to herself and would go to any length to keep other women away from him.

The Beginning

Dionne met Lance at a party he hosted for himself in the Spring of 1996. It was his birthday, and he wanted to spend it with some of his close friends and a few of his colleagues. Although Dionne didn’t receive an invite, she talked about the event with her MARTA employer, Theodore Williams, and he managed to get an additional invite especially for her. While Williams mingled at the party, he introduced Dionne to Lance, and the two hit it off. Dionne found Lance to be good-looking, and combined with his wealth, her interest in him intensified.

Soon, an attraction developed between Dionne and Lance, and the two maintained an intimate relationship, which involved nothing more than planned dates and sexual encounters. Although Dionne’s feelings for Lance were strong, she discovered she was only one of the women he was dating. Lance refused to settle down after she demanded that he end his other relationships.

Dissatisfied with sharing Lance with other women, Dionne began following him to various locations and kept track of his time away from his home and office. She once caught him on a date with her rival, Kathi Collins (who was married at the time she met Lance at a music awards show in Los Angeles during the early 90s), and was angry that he was cheating.

Dionne hated Kathi because she was considered Lance’s "main" girlfriend and, mainly, the one he paid more attention to at the time he was seeing her and his other women. However, even as Lance’s relationship with Kathi began to fizzle, Dionne was still bitter that she wasn’t the woman who could convince him to commit and be loyal to her.

While unfaithful to her husband, Shaun Nelson, an Air Jamaica pilot, Dionne couldn’t handle Lance’s refusal of commitment. She was jealous that other women were spending time with him, but remained arrogant about her deception. Additionally, she lived a double life as an attentive wife and a single woman who obsessed over a wealthy man.

Lance grew tired of Dionne’s possessive behavior and could no longer tolerate her jealousy. On the other hand, Dionne knew Lance wasn’t committed to her, which fueled her downward spiral and obsession. She called his office excessively (even during business hours on weekdays), wondering where he was and questioning his employees about his schedule and whereabouts. Eventually, Lance filed a restraining order against Dionne and didn’t hesitate to tell his friends about his decision.

Shaun was suspicious about the affair, but Dionne dismissed Lance as a close friend and business mentor. He didn't believe her, and his suspicion was confirmed when he saw a new luxury car parked in front of Dionne's house. The car was a gift from Lance, but it was only one of many expensive items she received from him.

A Scorned Lover's Revenge

By the summer of 1996, Dionne was stalking and spying on Lance during his dates with other women. Dionne met with Lance, hoping to change his mind about the trespassing charge he filed against her. They spent the night together, but the mood turned violent when Dionne attacked Lance. She fled the scene, and no witnesses came forward with claims of unusual noises or activity around and inside Lance’s residence.

After Lance’s office phone went unanswered and his employees reported his absence, his mother, Jackie Herndon, visited his home and found him lifeless in his bed. She tried to revive him, but her attempt was unsuccessful, and she called the police.

Lance was divorced at the time of his death, but he designated his third ex-wife, Jeannine Price, as his primary life insurance beneficiary. The revelation sparked suspicion that Jeannine had the motive to eliminate Lance for financial gain. However, she had a solid alibi, placing her in another part of town at the time of Lance’s death.

The Investigation

Like Jeannine, Kathi was never publicly named a suspect in Lance’s death despite her tumultuous relationship with him. On the other hand, later, during her testimony at Dionne’s third trial, she claimed that she was dining at a restaurant with her niece at the time of Lance’s death. Her claim has never been verified, and her niece has never come forward publicly.

Another revelation is that Lance was having financial troubles and was embroiled in several lawsuits at the time of his death. According to Jeannine, Lance mentioned that he felt someone in his social circle disliked him. He never named the individual, but he didn’t sense his life was in danger and didn’t view the acquaintance as a threat. Lance also had an accumulation of debt and an outstanding IRS bill as a result of personal and business taxes he owed over a specific period.

Meanwhile, Dionne continued to live her life while remaining discreet about her involvement with Lance on the last night of his life. She also kept silent about her whereabouts at the time of his death. However, detectives couldn’t find any of her close friends or family members to confirm a solid alibi that would rule her out as a suspect.

While Dionne’s knowledge about Lance’s life insurance policy is unknown, she used his credit card, one of a few she had in her possession, freely after his death, which fueled suspicion. She was also seen lurking around Lance’s residence while authorities investigated the crime scene.

Little did Dionne realize that her DNA was found in Lance’s bedroom, which detectives searched thoroughly for evidence. Strands of long hair and fingerprints were found in Lance's bedroom and collected for forensic analysts to examine.

After detectives gathered enough evidence against Dionne, they arrested her in 1998. Her fingerprints were significant because they were the most recent. However, surprisingly, the detectives never located the blunt object that Dionne possibly used to strike Lance.

Dionne was unremorseful and appeared unconcerned during all three of her trials. She also wore a stern expression on her face and never acknowledged Lance's family, although she sat only a short distance away from them in the courtroom. However, she was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 2024 and received a ten-year sentence. She was released in 2011 after serving all of her time. Although her whereabouts were unknown after her parole, she has remained private, choosing to stay out of the spotlight.

Article Cover Photo Credit:

AI Art: Google Gemini/Original Photo: Roswell Connections