Virginia dad kills wife, 3 children before turning gun on self: authorities
The bodies of Clarence and Shauna Washington, both 35, were found dead with their three children — Olivia, 4; Onya, 6; and Omesha, 13 — after a relative walked inside the family's Culpeper home late Sunday, authorities said. Police say they believe the violence erupted after the man had an argument with his wife.
Olivia Washington (l.) and her sister, Onya (r.) pose with a friend, Asia Robinson, for a picture.
A Virginia man shot and killed his wife and their three young daughters before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.
The bodies of Clarence and Shauna Washington, both 35, along with their three children — Olivia, 4; Onya, 6; and Omesha, 13 — were found inside the family's Culpeper house after relatives went to check on them about 10 p.m. Sunday, WRC-TV reported.
Friends and family told investigators that the parents had been arguing for some time and got into a heated spat Saturday night, the local NBC affiliate reported. Authorities said they never received any emergency calls from the home.
Investigators surround the Culpeper home where a family of five was found shot to death Monday.
AP PHOTO/CULPEPER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Investigators surround the Culpeper home where a family of five was found shot to death Monday.
Investigators believe the husband fatally shot his family after an argument with his wife and then killed himself. The deaths have been preliminarily ruled a murder-suicide, the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office said, according to WTTG-TV.
Authorities said Shauna Washington's mother and a cousin went to the Rixeyville Road home because they were concerned that the family missed church earlier in the day.
Shauna Washington, pictured, is one of those found dead Sunday in a murder-suicide in Culpeper, Va., that authorities say was carried out by her husband, Clarence, who also allegedly killed their three children.
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Shauna Washington, pictured, is one of those found dead Sunday in a murder-suicide in Culpeper, Va., that authorities say was carried out by her husband, Clarence, who also allegedly killed their three children.
Nicole Minor-Melvin, another cousin of the dead woman, said Shauna Washington had mentioned wanting to end her marriage — but she didn't know the woman's life was in danger.
"My prayers, my pictures of us, our conversations — that was my sister," Minor-Melvin told WRC-TV.
"That's my heart, my best friend, my world,"
A gun was recovered inside the home.
DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG
Investigators from the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police were still collecting evidence from the home Monday.
jkemp@nydailynews.com
The bodies of Clarence and Shauna Washington, both 35, were found dead with their three children — Olivia, 4; Onya, 6; and Omesha, 13 — after a relative walked inside the family's Culpeper home late Sunday, authorities said. Police say they believe the violence erupted after the man had an argument with his wife.
Olivia Washington (l.) and her sister, Onya (r.) pose with a friend, Asia Robinson, for a picture.
A Virginia man shot and killed his wife and their three young daughters before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.
The bodies of Clarence and Shauna Washington, both 35, along with their three children — Olivia, 4; Onya, 6; and Omesha, 13 — were found inside the family's Culpeper house after relatives went to check on them about 10 p.m. Sunday, WRC-TV reported.
Friends and family told investigators that the parents had been arguing for some time and got into a heated spat Saturday night, the local NBC affiliate reported. Authorities said they never received any emergency calls from the home.
Investigators surround the Culpeper home where a family of five was found shot to death Monday.
AP PHOTO/CULPEPER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Investigators surround the Culpeper home where a family of five was found shot to death Monday.
Investigators believe the husband fatally shot his family after an argument with his wife and then killed himself. The deaths have been preliminarily ruled a murder-suicide, the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office said, according to WTTG-TV.
Authorities said Shauna Washington's mother and a cousin went to the Rixeyville Road home because they were concerned that the family missed church earlier in the day.
Shauna Washington, pictured, is one of those found dead Sunday in a murder-suicide in Culpeper, Va., that authorities say was carried out by her husband, Clarence, who also allegedly killed their three children.
Shauna Washington, pictured, is one of those found dead Sunday in a murder-suicide in Culpeper, Va., that authorities say was carried out by her husband, Clarence, who also allegedly killed their three children.
Nicole Minor-Melvin, another cousin of the dead woman, said Shauna Washington had mentioned wanting to end her marriage — but she didn't know the woman's life was in danger.
"My prayers, my pictures of us, our conversations — that was my sister," Minor-Melvin told WRC-TV.
"That's my heart, my best friend, my world,"
A gun was recovered inside the home.
DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG
Investigators from the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police were still collecting evidence from the home Monday.
jkemp@nydailynews.com
