Church Leader Shot in Chilling Home Invasion

A terrifying home invasion in Mexico City has left a U.S. church leader fighting for his life — and his wife begging for prayers in the middle of the night.

R. Tyler Wallis, 56, the president of a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was shot just after 2 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, when an armed intruder broke into his home. His wife, Elizabeth, was also inside but escaped unharmed.

Wallis was rushed to a nearby hospital and is now in stable condition, according to church officials. A family friend revealed that the bullet tore through his torso, stopping just below the sternum. Miraculously, it missed his vital organs and major arteries. “An undeniable miracle that he is not dead,” the friend wrote in a Facebook update.

In the chaos after the shooting, Elizabeth sent a chilling message to her family. Her brother, Kevin Thorstenson, shared the text publicly:
“We need prayers immediately. We’ve had a robber break in our house and Tyler has been shot.”

The desperate message spread quickly among relatives and fellow church members, sparking an outpouring of prayers from across the U.S.

Church spokesman Sam Penrod confirmed the attack, calling it an “attempted robbery” and adding that all missionaries under Wallis’ supervision remain safe.
“Our prayers are with President and Sister Wallis, their family members and the missionaries during this challenging time,” the church said.

Wallis and his wife moved to Mexico City from Orlando, Florida, earlier this year to lead missionary work in one of the largest urban centers in the world. The couple shares four children.

Mexico City, while a cultural and historic hub, has also struggled with violent crime. Home invasions and armed robberies are not uncommon, particularly in wealthier neighborhoods.

The shooting has rattled the Latter-day Saint community in both Mexico and the United States. “This is every missionary family’s worst nightmare,” one former church leader told reporters. “You sacrifice, you serve — and then violence knocks on your door.”

Police in Mexico City have not released details about the suspect, and it remains unclear whether anyone has been arrested.

For now, family and church members are clinging to hope. “Tyler is strong, and we believe in miracles,” one close friend said. “But we need all the prayers we can get.”