Florida man charged with shooting, killing wife and 2 kids
A Florida man accused of fatally shooting his wife and two adult children Wednesday morning was arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree murder.
The man, William Conway Broyles, 57, appeared at a virtual bond hearing Thursday morning from the Nassau County Jail, where he stood barefoot wrapped in a safety smock to prevent suicide attempts. A judge denied bond and ordered Broyles to appear next in court on Dec. 21.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said Broyles called police and confessed to killing three members of his family Wednesday morning.
Broyles told officers that he shot his wife, Candice Lynn Broyles, 57, in the living room, then his daughter, Cora Lynn Broyles, 27, in her bedroom “as she was waking up," before he finally shot his son Aaron Christopher Broyles, 28, in his bedroom, breaking through the door to do so, Leeper said. Broyles said he got another gun and then shot his son again, Leeper said Wednesday.
Charlie Cofer, Nassau County's elected public defender, declined to comment because the investigation is ongoing.
Leeper said investigators have no evidence of anger issues or domestic disturbances in Broyles' past.
"It doesn't make sense when you look at the whole circumstance of why we believe it happened — it's just a senseless act. When he was asked why he didn't just shoot himself, he said he was too scared to do that, which is crazy considering what he just did," Leeper said.
Neighbors in the quiet neighborhood where the shooting occurred told NBC News affiliate WTLV of Jacksonville that they were shocked.
"I don't know why. I don't know what happened. I've never seen anything going on over there at all," Ruth Goodroe said.
An online biography, which has been removed but is available in internet caches, says that Broyles was director of music for Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church and that he was “happily married for 30 years to Candace.” It notes that he has one other child not named among the victims, a son named Evan.
The church said in a statement that Broyles has been on the staff for 23 years.
"We mourn this devastating loss to the church, Bill’s remaining family and the larger community. We ask that you would hold the members of the Broyles family, our church family and Bill himself in your prayers regarding this tragedy."
The church said a prayer vigil would be held Thursday evening.
