Suvechha Sarkar
On a cold morning in January 2022, the life of Hannah Pettey took a dark turn when she was admitted to a hospital due to an unknown illness. The doctors soon discovered it was actually lead poisoning, leading to a prompt investigation of attempted murder. The authorities uncovered several pieces of evidence that linked Hannah’s husband, Brian Thomas Mann, to the crime. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Gaslighting of Hannah Pettey’ delves deeper into the course of the investigation and the circumstances surrounding Hannah’s illness. It also features interviews with Hannah, her mother, Nicole Pettey, and Brian himself.
Brian Mann Was the Beneficiary of Multiple Insurance Policies on Hannah Pettey
Brian Thomas Mann was born sometime in 1988. After completing his higher education, he gradually built a career as a Chiropractor in Decatur, Alabama. Sometime in his adulthood, he met Hannah Pettey, and they began growing closer. Brian and Hannah finally got married in 2018, and over the course of the next few years, they welcomed their son, Lincoln, and daughter, Gracie, into the world. In January 2022, Hannah’s health suddenly deteriorated with symptoms like nausea and abdominal pain, and she was rushed to the hospital. Around 8 days after she was admitted, the test results revealed that she had been suffering from lead poisoning. According to official reports, the doctors noted that the high amount of lead in Hannah’s bloodstream was not something that could’ve happened accidentally, which indicated that she was poisoned.
As detectives launched an investigation, Hannah reportedly informed them that from the summer of 2021 till the end of that year, Brian was giving her pills, which he claimed were vitamins to help improve her immunity. According to reports, she also stated that he insisted that she visit the doctor several times, and they were reportedly having discussions about filing for divorce. Court records state that further investigation led officials to discover about five life insurance policies on Hannah, which would approximately provide Brian with a payout of $1.3 million in case of her death. Police records indicate that Brian further attempted to obtain two additional life insurance policies on Hannah, collectively amounting to $1.5 million. However, the applications for both of those were reportedly denied.
Investigators Arrested Brian Mann Based on Alleged Financial Motive
Further reports suggest that Brian himself got an X-ray, which captured a particular substance in his colon. According to police records, a nurse practitioner contacted the authorities about the same and claimed that Brian believed that the substance was lead. In her statements, she noted that when she tried to determine the acuteness of the supposed poisoning, he allegedly seemed scared. Police records state that the nurse further claimed that the substance in Brian’s colon wasn’t there for an extended period. When authorities searched Brian’s home in Hartselle twice to find the source of his claimed ingestion, they were reportedly unable to find any proof.
Things took a turn when a contractor, Danny Hill, who worked on the remodeling of Brian’s office, reached out to the officials. According to investigative reports, Danny informed the detectives that during the remodeling of Brian’s office, there was extensive use of lead in the walls of the X-ray room. He reportedly continued that he had also left the spare lead at the office. Reports indicate that the investigators believed Brian intentionally gave Hannah lead-laced pills because he allegedly wanted the life insurance money. Ultimately, Brian was arrested in September 2022 and indicted on the charge of attempted murder.
Brian Mann is Serving His Sentence at an Alabama Prison Facility Today
Following his arrest, Brian Mann pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. In January 2023, Brian was granted pre‑trial release on a $500,000 bond. The judge reportedly released him on special conditions, including surrendering his passport to prevent him from leaving the country, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, and maintaining no contact with Hannah. He was also ordered to continue paying child support for their daughter, Gracie. However, when Brian didn’t turn in his passport, he was taken into custody again. The jury trial of Brian commenced in June 2025, during which the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence before the court.
The prosecution contended that he intentionally poisoned Hannah to allegedly receive her insurance payout. According to court records, they also pointed out Brian and Hannah’s deteriorating marriage when he began giving her pills. On the other hand, the defense claimed Brian was also a victim of lead poisoning, and his children were being tested as well. They reportedly alleged that there was improper handling of evidence by the authorities. After around two days of testimonies, the jury convicted Brian of attempted murder in June 2025. Brian was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole on August 27, 2025.
Brian had filed a motion for acquittal and a new trial, claiming that the prosecution didn’t prove attempted murder beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the motion was denied in October 2025. Although Hannah filed for divorce in March 2022, the proceedings were put on hold during Brian’s jury trial. As of writing, from what we can tell, there are no public reports sharing information about their marital status. According to reports, in September 2025, Hannah and her children received “exclusive occupancy” of Brian’s Hartselle residence. Currently, Brian is incarcerated at Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery, Alabama.
