FL – Sheriff deputy kills wife, daughter, g'daughter; suicide; 3 locations, Plant City, 19 DEC 2018

[SeesSeas]

Deputy accused of killing wife, daughter, granddaughter and then himself
Updated: 3:18 PM EST December 19, 2018
A longtime Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy is accused of killing his wife, daughter and granddaughter before taking his own life.
Sheriff Chad Chronister confirmed deputy Terry Strawn retired two years ago and was later hired back to work as a resource deputy at Valrico Elementary School, where his granddaughter attended.

Sheriff: 4 Dead in Murder-Suicide Involving School Security Deputy
December 19, 2018 @3:17 PM
According to Sheriff Chad Chronister, the deputy, — identified as Terry Strawn, 58 — killed two family members. They included an adult female and a female child at one location in Plant City, and an adult female at another location in Plant City.
The victims were identified as Theresa Strawn, 54, Courtney Strawn, 32, and London Strawn, 6.
Strawn killed himself at a location near Plant City High School.

Sheriff: Hillsborough deputy killed wife, daughter & granddaughter before killing self
Sheriff: Hillsborough deputy kills family, alerts fellow deputies over radio, then kills himself
Hillsborough deputy kills three relatives at their homes, then kills himself at Plant City High, sheriff says
Deputy kills family then self, despite colleagues' pleas

 

[katsrfun]

Oh, what a sad thing, and at Christmas. I know police are under so much stress, especially now days, but why take out your whole family and little children. How can people do that? I guess you have to be in that state of mind to understand. I'm so sorry for extended family and friends, I just don't get it, to inflict so much pain. Katt

 

[SeesSeas]

Former Hillsborough ‘Officer of the Year’ killed three relatives then himself, sheriff says
DEC 19, 2018
PLANT CITY — A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy killed his wife, daughter and granddaughter early Wednesday morning then announced what he’d done over a police radio before committing suicide.

Terry L. Strawn, 58, a Sheriff’s Office veteran once named Deputy of the Year, carried out the slayings at two separate locations in east Hillsborough County. Three deputies encountered him near Plant City High School and tried reasoning with him before he took his own life.

“I’m saddened,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “But I’m also disheartened that a sheriff’s deputy would ever cause harm to another individual.”

Sheriff’s officials learned of the carnage at 6:42 a.m. when Strawn began speaking over a sheriff’s radio frequency.
[...]
Strawn started with the Sheriff’s Office in 1991. State law enforcement records indicate he began as a jail deputy before joining the road patrol in 1994.
[...]
He was named Officer of the Year in 2009. Sheriff’s officials cited his work in removing dangerous criminals from the streets.
[...]
Strawn retired about two years ago, Chronister said. But he was re-hired last summer as part of a sheriff’s partnership with the Hillsborough school district to improve security in local elementary schools. The program is a response to a legislative mandate following the fatal shootings in February at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
[...]
Things were going so well in Strawn’s new assignment that the department decided recently to hire him back permanently.

“There has been absolutely no indication of any type of behavioral issues,” Chronister said. “Glowing recommendations, job evaluations. No indication whatsoever … that this deputy would conduct himself in the manner he did.”

The slayings mark the second time this year that a Hillsborough sheriff’s deputy has been involved in a murder-suicide.

In September, Kirk Keithley shot his wife, Samantha, in their Land O’ Lakes home, then turned the gun on himself.

“We’ve been concerned,” Chronister said. “Because we’ve seen suicide rates have risen. Why is this occurring? I wish I knew.”

 

[fighting_illini_2]

So sad. May they all rest in peace, somehow. My sympathies go out to all family, friends, co-workers and schoolmates.

 

[SeesSeas]

Thirty years ago - Father Bill Strawn / Son Terry Strawn . . .
College Dean Says Debt Drove Him To Bank And Disgrace
College Dean Says Debt Drove Him To Bank And Disgrace
November 17, 1988
Bill Strawn did it because he needed the money.

The Hillsborough Community College dean didn't have the $14,000 to pull his son out of debt after their joint antique business failed. The son was about to lose his mobile home.

Strawn fell apart. He robbed a bank.

''I have disgraced my family and the college and I apologize. I want to apologize to anyone I frightened or scared in any way. I'm not that kind of a human. I'm not an animal,'' Strawn said in a telephone interview with The Orlando Sentinel from his Orange County Jail cell.
[...]
Strawn said his mental health has been poor for several months. He said he and his son, Terry, 28, had an antique business on their property.
[...]

 

[KALI]

What was the trigger? Abuse?

 

[tmar]

What was the trigger? Abuse?

I hope we learn WHY.

 

[scmom]

What a tragedy.

 

[SeesSeas]

Florida Murder-suicide, deputy sheriff kills two female relatives & child before shooting himself | Daily Mail Online
UPDATED: 17:23 EST, 19 December 2018

Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputy Terry Strawn, 58, right, killed his wife, Theresa, 54 (left) his 6-year-old granddaughter Londyn (pictured) at their home, before killing his 32-year-old daughter Courtney (in green) at her home

 

[grillzgirl]

How terribly sad.

 

[CuriousMaine]

What was the trigger? Abuse?

One article says: health and finances.
Link: Deputy kills family then self, despite colleagues' pleas

 

[SeesSeas]

Updated:
Former Hillsborough ‘Officer of the Year’ killed three relatives then himself, sheriff says
PLANT CITY — A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy killed his wife, daughter and granddaughter early Wednesday morning, then confessed to their murders over his agency radio before killing himself.

Terry L. Strawn, 58, a Sheriff’s Office veteran who was once named Officer of the Year, used his service handgun to kill his family at two locations in east Hillsborough County. Three deputies encountered him near Plant City High School and tried to talk him down before he committed suicide.

“He indicated he was losing everything,” said Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I’m saddened. But I’m also disheartened that a sheriff’s deputy would ever cause harm to another individual.”

The victims were identified as the deputy’s wife, Theresa Strawn, 54; daughter, Courtney, 32; and his 6-year-old granddaughter, Londyn, who was Courtney Strawn’s daughter. The youngest casualty was a student at Valrico Elementary School, where Strawn worked as a school resource officer.

Sheriff: Hillsborough deputy kills family, alerts fellow deputies over radio, then kills himself
Deputies say that Strawn killed his wife and granddaughter at his home before driving to his daughters home. Sheriff Chronister says that Strawn shot his daughter when she answered the door. All three victims died of gunshot wounds.

Deputy kills wife, daughter, granddaughter
During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said that Terry Strawn, a school security officer, shot his wife and 6-year-old granddaughter, then went to his daughter's house and shot her.
WFTS reports Strawn shot himself in front of three other deputies who tried to convince him not to do it

Left to right: Courtney Strawn, 32, Theresa Strawn, 54, Terry Strawn, 58, Londyn Strawn, 6 (Source: WFTS)

 

[mickey2942]

Interesting. Tis the season to kill your family. Here is an article from our small town paper, husband killed his wife and committed suicide.

UPDATE: Helena man killed his wife at a birthday party before shooting himself, police say

 

[abeaman02]

This is so sad, no matter how scared and embarrassed you are about your mistakes time forgives and to take the lives of innocent people is just so selfish. I know suicide in itself is sad but to take people that don't have a choice with you is just selfish

 

[CocoChanel]

This is so unimaginable, and yet we continue to read about tragedies such as this. If we could only accept our shortcomings and struggles with mental health, and ask for help, perhaps there would be fewer incidents like this. But the very nature of such mental health challenges does not allow clear thinking to break through the fog of denial, shame and pain. And innocent people die, including precious children. Who can really explain this? What could we reasonably do within our own individual power to prevent it in the future? I weep for this family.

 

[CocoChanel]

Thirty years ago - Father Bill Strawn / Son Terry Strawn . . .
College Dean Says Debt Drove Him To Bank And Disgrace
College Dean Says Debt Drove Him To Bank And Disgrace
November 17, 1988
Bill Strawn did it because he needed the money.

The Hillsborough Community College dean didn't have the $14,000 to pull his son out of debt after their joint antique business failed. The son was about to lose his mobile home.

Strawn fell apart. He robbed a bank.

''I have disgraced my family and the college and I apologize. I want to apologize to anyone I frightened or scared in any way. I'm not that kind of a human. I'm not an animal,'' Strawn said in a telephone interview with The Orlando Sentinel from his Orange County Jail cell.
[...]
Strawn said his mental health has been poor for several months. He said he and his son, Terry, 28, had an antique business on their property.
[...]

This is astonishing, and thank you for finding it and sharing it SeesSeas. This poor family has a history of reacting poorly to pressure. I wonder if the the elder Mr. Strawn is still alive, and if so, is he still in prison for the robbery(s) he committed in 1988. He too was in a position of trust and respect, and reacted violently out of proportion to whatever stressors he was feeling. At least he did not take anyone’s life, but he traumaticized many, including his own family members. This is like reading a Greek tragedy, except it truly happened IRL. So so sad.

 

[drama_farmer]

Certainly a new twist on the same sad holiday story. I find it interesting that he delayed his own death after announcing he had annihilated his lovely family. Usually, IMO, if the killer is carrying a lot of shame/overcome by loss, their suicide IMO, tends to be concurrent with the familicide. Instead, he announces his crimes to his coworkers, and then (seemingly) waits for an audience, thereby directly traumatizing even more people.

 

[SeesSeas]

This is astonishing, and thank you for finding it and sharing it SeesSeas. This poor family has a history of reacting poorly to pressure. I wonder if the the elder Mr. Strawn is still alive, and if so, is he still in prison for the robbery(s) he committed in 1988. He too was in a position of trust and respect, and reacted violently out of proportion to whatever stressors he was feeling. At least he did not take anyone’s life, but he traumaticized many, including his own family members. This is like reading a Greek tragedy, except it truly happened IRL. So so sad.

I agree. . . "This is like reading a Greek tragedy."
As horrific as so many crimes are, I am utterly fascinated by the psychology of those involved. I was shocked to find the father's crimes.

The 'elder' Bill Strawn (Terry Strawn's father) died two years ago, in 2016:
Obituary: William "Bill" John Strawn Jr. | Plant City Observer | Plant City Observer
William “Bill” John Strawn Jr., 82, of Plant City, died Aug. 21, 2016, at his home.

From my research, Bill Strawn spent minimal time in prison but was on LIFETIME PROBATION.
Orange County Clerk of Courts Records Search
1988-CF-010616-A-O : STATE OF FLORIDA - VS - STRAWN, WILLIAM J, JR
9/21/1989 Report of Medical Exam
Comments: REPORT OF MEDICAL EXAM PSYCHIATRIC FILED
9/1/1989 Report of Medical Exam
Comments: REPORT OF MEDICAL EXAM PSYCHIATRIC FILED

Here is a more extensive article about the bank robberies:
https://andelman.com/ARTICLES/williamstrawn1989-tbl.html
(The following story appeared in Tampa Bay Life in 1989.)
Profile: Bank Robber
William Strawn

 

[SeesSeas]

Surveillance video shows deputy in triple murder-suicide was armed outside victim’s condo
Posted: 10:06 PM, Dec 19, 2018 | Updated: 7:10 AM, Dec 20, 2018
PLANT CITY, Fla. — Surveillance video taken from the condo community near Plant City High School shows Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Strawn calmly walking up to his daughter’s front door, seconds later he shot and killed her.

Out of respect for the family, the resident did not want to release the video or any screen grabs of it to the public. ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska watched the video which shows the deputy walking on the sidewalk toward his daughter Courtney Strawn’s unit. The video shows him holding a gun in his left hand, Strawn knocks on his daughter’s door and she opens it. Minutes later, the deputy stumbled back to his car, attempting to swiftly conceal the firearm in his pocket. The time stamp on the video was at 6:32 a.m. Wednesday.
[...]
At approximately 6:42 a.m., Terry Strawn, 58, got on the main channel of the HCSO radio and alerted other deputies that he killed his wife, Theresa Strawn, 54, his daughter, Courtney Strawn, 32, and his granddaughter, 6-year-old Londyn Strawn.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Florida lawmakers mandated armed guards in schools after Parkland. One just killed three people.
Like many counties, Hillsborough turned to retired law enforcement for security after state lawmakers mandated armed personnel at every school. One of them, Terry Strawn, killed three family members and himself on Wednesday.
December 20, 2018
[...]
"There was no indication whatsoever that would lead a prudent and reasonable person to believe that this deputy would ever conduct himself in the manner that he did," Chronister said afterward.

Law enforcement and lawmakers are now grappling with questions after Wednesday's tragedy, many similar to ones they faced after Parkland. Was it a complete fluke, or was it the unintended result of state lawmakers' decision to employ an armed response to the threat of guns in schools?

And there's this: What if Strawn's rampage was directed at the elementary students he was sworn to protect, instead of his family?

"This also just convinced me that more people in schools with guns is not the answer," Fred Guttenberg, the father of 14-year-old Parkland victim Jaime Guttenberg, tweeted Wednesday night.
[...]