Boy, 10, woke to find bodies of parents and three brothers after ‘carnage’ murder-suicide
Oklahoma police say that a 10-year-old boy woke in his family home to find the dead bodies of his parents and three brothers - two of whom were children - after an apparent murder-suicide.
Officials in Oklahoma City say that the young boy unwittingly came upon the “carnage” on Monday morning after Jonathan Candy killed his wife and three sons before turning the gun on himself.
“Make no mistake about it, what happened in that residence was nothing short of a massacre,” Master Sgt Gary Knight told reporters on Tuesday.
Officials identified the bodies found as Candy, 42, and his wife, 39-year-old Lindsay Candy, and their children 18-year-old Dylan, 14-year-old Ethan and 12-year-old Lucas.
Police said they found a gun on top of Mr Candy’s body, adding that he fatally shot his wife and three children.
“Investigators determined that sometime overnight the husband and father in the home, Jonathan Candy, became involved in an altercation with his wife, Lindsay,” added MS Knight.
“At some point, he armed himself with a gun, shot her multiple times, killing her. At that point, he systematically went through the home, shooting and killing their children.”
Police say it is unclear why the fourth child was unharmed, and that at least one of the children was shot and killed in bed. They have been released into the custody of family members.
“It’s unclear what made him want to go through the home killing the children, but make no mistake about it, what happened in that residence was nothing short of a massacre,” Knight added.
Authorities say that police have had no previous contact with the family and there was no history of domestic violence.
Mustang Public Schools superintendent Charles Bradley confirmed two of the victims were current students - one in sixth grade, the other in ninth - while another was a recent graduate of the school system.
He wrote an email to families on Monday, saying the school community was “shocked, and our hearts are broken, this tragedy simply defies understanding”.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
