Tx. Family Fatally Shot, Police Investigate Photo Dad May Have Shared During Shooting
Authorities in Texas are investigating the death of a family of five who was believed to have been shot to death in their home Monday morning as a sixth member slept.
On Monday morning, Carlos Delaney, 74, his wife Lynda Delaney, 72, their granddaughter Ashley Delaney, 27, her husband Randy Horn, 54, and their infant daughter 15-month-old Ranley were found dead at their Polk County home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
All five victims appeared to have been shot to death, the sheriff’s office said at a press conference Monday evening.
“This is a horrible, horrific scene. A horrible crime,” Chief Deputy Byron Lyons said. “What I would ask is that the community will pray. This is something that we’re not used to.”
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Carlos, Lynda and Randy were found inside the home. Outside were Ashley and the daughter she shared with Randy.
While authorities wait for the autopsy reports, Lyons said they are working on figuring out a timeline of the incident.
Authorities are also investigating a troubling Facebook post shared by Randy early Monday morning at 1:10 a.m.
“And this is why I can’t be out in the bars at night….blood on the floor!” wrote Randy, who captioned a photo of blood on a concrete floor.
Chief Deputy Lyons said, “We are in the process of trying to determine if that actual picture that he took is part of our crime scene here or did it take place at a location that he was at last night.”
It’s unclear what occurred leading up to the incident but authorities did find firearms at the scene.
Lyons said Ashley’s mother was home during the incident asleep in a bedroom. When she awoke to the commotion, she called Ashley’s brother, who called the police. Ashley’s mother is not a suspect.
No arrests have been made and authorities say they do not believe the community is in danger. It’s unclear what occurred leading up to the incident but authorities did find firearms at the scene.
Lyons said authorities are waiting to hear back from the medical examiner to announce whether Randy is the suspect or a victim.
“At this point, we’re not going to say what we’re working is an apparent murder-suicide, because we really want the medical examiner’s office to look at all the evidence that has been gathered to able to make a determination,” Lyons said at the press conference. “I don’t want to be premature about by calling it one thing and then have to retract it.”
