Back in September, The Tennessee Star reported that it had released 90 pages of writings left by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale. This was the manifesto that authorities seemed to have worked so hard to keep from the public, and The Star said it obtained the journal, which was recovered from Hale’s vehicle by officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department, legally.
The Star is reporting on Monday that the FBI released another 230 pages from Hale's writings, and that Hale might have purchased the guns used in the massacre that killed three, including three children, using federal grant money to attend college.
BREAKING: New Covenant killer documents released by the FBI confirm @TheTNStar reporting the killer bought guns with Pell Grant money. https://t.co/CCeqmqcz3S
— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) December 29, 2025
Tom Pappert reports:
Following multiple pages full of weapons to purchase, the journal includes a page labeled “Account Savings Record,” which appears to reference the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It also records multiple payments received from Nossi during the period when Hale attended the Nossi College of Art and Design in Nashville.
“FASFA [sic] grant checks started at $2,050.86,” wrote Hale at the top of the entry.
The page then lists a series of apparent ledger entries, starting with, “$2,656.87 (x3 checks from Nossi).” The next ledger entry states, “+$530.00 (x1 check Nossi) ($3,186.87).”
This reference to Hale’s federal student aid, located in the writings next to her entries about guns she considered buying, appears to corroborate the claims made by her parents to Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) detectives in 2023, when they told law enforcement their child purchased the firearms using federal Pell Grant money.
…
Former MNPD Detective Bobby Samuels, who left the department and moved out of Tennessee in early 2024, then stated that the investigators were curious how Hale was able to afford the weapons used at the Covenant School, prompting her mother to credit the money received for her education.
“It was the grant money,” the killer’s mother stated.
Recommended
Stop giving scholarships and grants in the individual’s name, to the individual and the school, and if they max out school costs the $ cannot be passed to the individual, it goes back to the origin.
— MALVANCWV (@MALVANCWV) December 29, 2025
Well, that's one way to get money for rifles. I remember that the FBI had to give gift cards to the people who attempted to 'kidnap' Gretchen Whitmer. Perhaps we should kill all the DOE programs for grants and replace them with something that pays the college directly.
— Wee Todd Edd. (@Baurakale7) December 29, 2025
I used to work in College Admissions. Grant money never went directly to students. I got a Pell Grant myself back in the 70’s. The money went directly to the university. When did that change?
— Arnold Kalti (@Kal92858Kalti) December 29, 2025
According to the government's student aid website, "Your school can apply Federal Pell Grant funds to your school costs, pay you directly, or combine these methods."
Stunning example of money is fungible
— Wolvie (@wolviebets) December 30, 2025
Once the Pell Grant money is in your bank account, there is no further accounting for it.
— Shaun (@ShaunStromb) December 29, 2025
Cool. I’m forced, by threat, to hand over MY MONEY to give to deranged killers on psycho medicine so they can kill my kids.
— Kris Pree (@TruckeeTooHard) December 29, 2025
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