LAFAYETTE, Tenn. -- A woman in Macon County refused to talk to a man last night, and police said that ended up costing her life.

Video: Shooting Claims Lives Of Mother, Teenage Son

Police said a man went to the woman's home and killed her and her 15-year-old son.

Just minutes before it all happened, the boy had been on the phone talking to a friend.

The shootings occurred Monday night in Dixon Springs -- a rural community about 45 miles northeast of Nashville.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the victims are Karen Schmidt, 53, and her son, Matthew Schmidt.

The victims died early Tuesday morning at Macon County General Hospital in Lafayette.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kristin Helm confirmed police have arrested 45-year-old Ricky Netherton in connection with the shootings. Helm said Netherton was found inside the home with a gun.

Police said Netherton went to the home and attempted to talk to Karen Schmidt and when she refused, he left and returned with a rifle.

Police said when Netherton left for the rifle, Matthew Schmidt called the Macon County Sheriff’s Department. The dispatcher said gunfire could be heard during the call and then silence.

“At that time, the subject did come back there to where the 15-year-old was. … they couldn’t hear the 15-year-old any more on the telephone. It’s a very sad situation,” said Macon County Sheriff Mark Gammons.

The shootings have touched the whole neighborhood. Matthew Schmidt’s friend, Chelsea Smith, said she spoke to him moments before his death.

“I mean, last night when I saw the police come, it took me everything not to go down there. I talked to him last night on the phone and his voice was trembling. He said, ‘Please, Chelsea, it’s not a good time.’ And it took everything in my power to not go down there. But, God was watching over me, because if I had went down there, then I could have gotten shot, too,” she said.

Netherton is being held without bail at the Macon County Jail.

Schmidt was Netherton's girlfriend, said the TBI. His first court appearance is Nov. 14.

Karen Schmidt was in the last stages of cancer, according to neighbors, and Matthew Schmidt often traveled with her to her chemotherapy treatments.