A Florida man killed his wife and shot his 13-year-old stepdaughter before taking his own life following a domestic dispute that reportedly began over a professional football game, authorities said Friday.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 47-year-old Jason Kenney. According to Sheriff Grady Judd, the violence erupted late Monday night at the family’s Lakeland home while Kenney was watching the “Monday Night Football” matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts.
Investigators say the confrontation began when Kenney’s wife, Crystal Kenney, suggested he turn off the television or stop drinking. The argument escalated rapidly, prompting Crystal to tell her 12-year-old son to run to a neighbor’s house to call 911.
As the boy fled, he heard gunshots.
Deputies arriving at the scene found Crystal Kenney dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Her 13-year-old daughter was found in a bedroom suffering from gunshot wounds to the shoulder and face. Sheriff Judd described the girl’s survival as a “Christmas miracle,” noting that the bullet entered the bridge of her nose and exited through the top of her head without causing fatal brain damage. She is currently in stable condition and recovering at a local hospital.
A 1-year-old infant, the biological child of the couple, was found unharmed in her crib.
Following the shooting, Kenney fled to his late father’s property and barricaded himself in a shed. After a brief standoff with deputies, Kenney died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
During a press conference, Sheriff Judd revealed that authorities found a note written by Crystal Kenney prior to the shooting, pleading with her husband to seek help for substance abuse issues.
“The entire family was destroyed,” Judd said, noting the grim scene of a home decorated for Christmas with presents still under the tree. “Our homicide detectives are distraught.”
The couple’s children are currently in the custody of their maternal grandparents. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
