Family Of 3 And A Pet Dog Found Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide Case In US

A 58-year-old man in the US fatally shot his 10-year-old son and the family dog before turning the gun on himself inside their home in Oklahoma. According to the New York Post, police found the bodies of Rodney Shippy, Logan Shippy and a dog on Wednesday while serving a search warrant after concerned relatives reported that Mr Shippy's daughter, Alyssa, had been missing since November. Cops later also found the 20-year-old's lifeless body inside the home. Due to the "condition of the home," the body wasn't initially seen by officers, police said, adding that a medical examiner is working to confirm her cause of death. 

"We are heartbroken to share that two beloved members of our family, Alyssa and Logan (brother and sister) passed away tragically and unexpectedly," the children's grief-stricken family wrote on a GoFundMe. "Their loss has left our family in deep grief and unprepared for the financial burden that comes with arranging their funerals," they added. 

According to the Post, the incident marks the latest in a series of tragic deaths that have haunted the family since August 2022, when Rodney Shippy's wife, Lisa Shippy, killed herself at the same house. Five months later, Ms Shippy's mother, 56-year-old Diane Carpenter, was stabbed to death by her husband, 66-year-old Kenny Carpenter, who then shot himself during a four-hour standoff with police in January 2023. 

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A motive behind the heinous slaying remains unknown, however, public records suggest that Mr Shippy was on the verge of losing his house, which he purchased with his wife in 2021. In January earlier this year, the US Bank National Association filed a foreclosure notice on the house, citing $135,000 in unpaid principal. The 58-year-old was given until June to respond to the court notice, records showed. 

As the investigation continues, neighbours said that 10-year-old Logan Shippy had autism and was nonverbal. They also described the house as "not suitable" for children, adding that the father became increasingly isolated following his wife's death. "Not suitable for a child, no running water, trash - looked like a completely different house," relative Patti Williams said. 

"Rodney seemed to be holding it together for months after (Lisa) passed ... then he started estranging himself from everyone," the relative added.