Former NASCAR driver John Wes Townley tragically died in a shooting on 3 October 2021 leaving behind wife Laura. Who is she and how long have the couple been together?
John Wes Townley passes away
31-year-old former NASCAR driver John Wes Townley was killed in a double shooting in Morton Avenue in the Five Points area of Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, 2 October 2021.
The other victim was a 30-year-old woman, who is suffering from serious injuries, according to Athens-Clarke County police department spokesman Lt Shaun Barnett.
The shooter is believed to be a 32-year-old male from Dunwoody, Georgia, and reports claim the parties knew each other. Domestic violence has been alleged as the background to the crime.
Townley is known for his extensive career from 2008 to 2016 in the Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity. He is the son of Tony Townley, co-founder of Athens-based chicken chain Zaxby’s.
How did John Wes Townley meet his wife Laura?
Reports claim they met through dating app Match. Bird said: “We both entered fake ZIP codes and, long story short, Match paired us up.” Their first date took them to a local Mexican restaurant, where Bird had her friends nearby in case the date went downhill.
Clearly everything went smoothly as Bird and Townley got engaged on 30 October 2016 and married in 2018 in a small ceremony. Bird popped the question with a custom ring during her birthday trip to Charleston, South Carolina.
- MORE: Who is Arnel Pineda’s wife, Cherry? Meet the Journey frontman’s family
Legends of The Hidden Temple | Season Trailer | The CW
Who is Laura Bird?
There’s not much information about Bird online other than her career. Bird hails from Florence, Georgia, and currently studies at Augusta University, pursuing a degree in nursing. She is set to graduate in 2022.
Bird has been working as a nurse at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center during the pandemic.
Judging from her Facebook, she is definitely an animal lover, with a cat and at least two dogs called Tino and Sophie.
Our thoughts are with Laura and John’s family and friends at this sad time.