U.S. man kills wife, children before committing suicide on Father`s Day

USPA News - A man shot and killed his wife and their two young children at their home in the U.S. state of Virginia on Father`s Day before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide, local police said on Monday, describing the killings as domestic-related. Shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday, Chesterfield County police were dispatched to a residence located in the 5700 block of Fox Maple Terrace in the McCormick Woods subdivision, just outside the city of Petersburg.

Upon arrival, they heard multiple gunshots and found bystanders attempting to aid 30-year-old Renotta I. Jernigan and her two-year-old son Seth. Both had been shot. Upon entering the residence, officers found Jernigan`s daughter, 9-year-old Alexis F. Kellas, and Jernigan`s husband, 35-year-old Barry C. Jernigan. Both had been shot and were pronounced dead at the scene. Renotta Jernigan also died at the scene and Seth Jernigan was transported to Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Police gave no information about a possible motive for the killings, which were described as domestic-related. "At this point, the investigation indicates that Barry Jernigan shot his son, step-daughter and wife before turning the gun on himself," said Captain Chris Hensley of the Chesterfield County Police Department.