A Florida woman, identified as Hailey Dempsey, 28, is the sole perpetrator in a murder-suicide incident that resulted in the deaths of her mother and two children, authorities announced.
Dempsey fatally shot her mother, Valerie DeBoe, 58, in her Hillsborough, Florida, home on May 3. She then took her two children to the yard of a nearby residence, where she shot them. Investigators reported that Dempsey attempted to shoot her third child, a two-year-old daughter, but missed before taking her own life.
The incident, which occurred in the Tampa suburb, led to public speculation and accusations against Dempsey's husband, Jay. While Jay Dempsey was questioned by police, he was never arrested or charged in connection with the tragedy and has since been cleared of any involvement.
Plant City police Chief Richard Mills Jr. described the investigation as "extremely complex," requiring "extensive forensic analysis and a significant amount of digital evidence." He emphasized the department's commitment to "follow evidence wherever it led, and establish the truth of what occurred."
Police responded to a disturbance call on West Tever Street around 10 a.m. on May 3, where they discovered Dempsey and two of her deceased children. Dempsey sustained a gunshot wound to the temple and was found lying on top of one of her children. She was transported to a hospital, where she died from her injuries. Further investigation led officers to the Dempsey family home on North Franklin Street, where DeBoe's body was found on the second floor.
Investigators have not yet disclosed a motive for the slayings.