Transgender Former Teacher Convicted of Threats at Virginia High School

A transgender former substitute teacher was convicted for making threats to carry out a “murder spree” at a high school in Virginia.

Hadyn James Dollery, a 19-year-old male who identifies as female and goes by “Sophie,” was found guilty on Friday on four counts in Loudoun County. The jury convicted her on two counts related to threats of injury or death, one count of making threats on school property, and one for threatening to damage a building. She was acquitted on a separate threat count.

Prosecutors detailed that Dollery sent messages via Discord at 1:49 a.m. on April 15, the day after a breakup with her boyfriend. Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dircia Schubert explained to the jury that Dollery threatened to kill her ex-partner, their family, and her own family, as well as to carry out a murder spree at the ex’s school. Disturbingly, she also mentioned the possibility of cannibalizing one of the victims.

The ex and another victim reported the threats through a school safety app called Safe2Talk. Authorities at John Champe High School, which was targeted, and Eagle Ridge Middle School, where Dollery had been a non-licensed substitute, deemed the threats credible and increased security at both locations.

According to charging documents, the sheriff’s office received the report on April 16. Dollery was apprehended four days later, away from school property, and subsequently removed from the district’s substitute teaching list.

During the trial, jurors learned about a box cutter found in Dollery’s backpack and phone records indicating searches about blood on Google.

Defense attorney Mary Swanson contended that the situation was a teenage love triangle that had been exaggerated. She emphasized that it was Dollery’s first breakup and noted there was no previous history of violence.

The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, received the case on Thursday afternoon and delivered the verdict the following day. Sentencing is slated for January 28, with the four convictions potentially carrying a sentence of up to 25 years, though there is no mandatory minimum.

Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman raised concerns about the hiring practices in the school division following the arrest in April. He argued that having 18- and 19-year-olds in charge of students represented a safety risk. Loudoun County Public Schools allows 19-year-olds to work as substitutes if they possess a high school diploma. A spokesperson for the district defended the hiring processes, citing that the school system employs over 13,000 people.

This incident comes in the wake of national scrutiny of the county’s schools, particularly after a male student assaulted a female classmate in a bathroom and subsequently attacked another girl after being transferred to a new school. A special grand jury indicated that the district had failed to manage the situation correctly, leading to charges against the former superintendent.

Following the verdict, some commenters on social media suggested that Dollery should never have been in a classroom, with calls for accountability for those who approved her hiring.