Daphne Alabama tragedy: What killed family of four?
Flowers, candles, and handwritten notes left outside the Daphne home where a family of four was found dead in a suspected murder-suicide.
A small Alabama community is reeling after four members of the same family were discovered dead inside their Daphne home in what investigators believe was a murder-suicide.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the case involves the deaths of two adults and two children, all found with gunshot wounds in the early hours of August 14. Deputies were first dispatched after a relative who did not live at the residence requested a welfare check.
When officers arrived around 3:30 a.m., they knocked repeatedly but received no answer. Looking through the windows, they saw enough cause for concern to force entry. Inside, they made the devastating discovery.
Sheriff Anthony Lowery later identified the suspected gunman as Kenneth O’Neil Smith Jr., 44. The victims were his wife, Larrica Gaines Smith, 41, and their children, Khristian, 15, and Kinsley, 11. A handgun, believed to be the weapon used, was recovered at the scene.
“It looks like there might have been some type of domestic issue that obviously escalated to this,” Sheriff Lowery told reporters. “It’s as tragic as it comes.”
Neighbors have struggled to process the loss. Some described the Smiths as a loving, close-knit family. “Their kids were so sweet,” said one neighbor. “They babysat my daughter. Just good people. This is heartbreaking.”
In the wake of the tragedy, classmates and school officials have been notified. Counselors are on standby to help grieving students and staff. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office has asked the public to respect the scene and give investigators space to continue their work.
As word spread, residents gathered outside the home for an impromptu vigil. The mailbox is now surrounded by flowers, stuffed animals, a football, and handwritten notes left in memory of the children.
On August 14, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office released a follow-up statement:
The investigation remains ongoing, but for many in the quiet neighborhood, the loss has already left an indelible mark.