In a tragic evening in Lakeland, Florida, a 47-year-old man shot his wife, critically wounded his stepdaughter, and then took his own life after a heated argument over a football game.
The Incident
Jason Kenney, 47, was watching his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers, defeat the Indianapolis Colts when his wife, Crystal Kenney, 38, told him she no longer wanted to watch football. At about 11 p.m., the couple argued when Crystal suggested they watch something else. The argument escalated, and Jason shot his wife, shot his 13-year-old stepdaughter twice in the face, and then killed himself. He had been drinking during the evening.
The 13-year-old stepdaughter told investigators, “I begged him, don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me and he shot me anyway,” according to Judd.
Investigation Findings
Deputies found Crystal Kenney’s body and her critically wounded stepdaughter. The 12-year-old son had called a neighbor to dial 911 and, while leaving the house, heard a gunshot. The baby girl was asleep in her crib and unharmed.
Back at the couple’s house, deputies found an undated note from Crystal Kenney telling her husband, “You know you’re drinking, you’re using cocaine again,” Judd quoted. The note also read, “This is not the way the family should be,” and “You need God.” The sheriff said, “We don’t know when she wrote the note. It’s not dated. There’s no time, there’s no indication, but it was open.” He added, “So did she write it as they argued earlier in the evening? Or had it been some period of time? We can’t determine that.”
The shooter fled, called his sister in upstate New York, and told her, “I’ve done something very, very bad, very bad” and “this is the last time you’ll ever talk to me,” according to Judd. He also told his sister, “You’ll see me on the news, but I am not going to jail. I’m not going to jail for the rest of my life,” Judd said. When deputies tracked him to his late father’s home, they heard a single gunshot from the shed.
The sheriff said, “Frankly, I don’t want to sound sinister, but the only thing he did right that night was shoot himself after those horrible deeds.” The family had said she was a regular victim of domestic violence by her husband – though there had been no such reports to local authorities, Judd said.
Family Response
Stephanie Rourie, the victim’s sister, told NBC affiliate WFLA, “I would tell my sister that I’m sorry that this happened to you. You didn’t deserve this. I promise I will love your babies so hard.” She added, “The world deserves to know your story and the type of person you were. Her babies will never not know the type of mother she was. The love and the strength she had for them. They will know that. That will never stop.”
Key Takeaways
- A 47-year-old man shot his wife, critically wounded his stepdaughter, and then committed suicide after a football-related argument.
- The shooter was found at his late father’s home, where a gunshot was heard from a shed.
- The wife’s undated note warned of drinking and cocaine use, and the family cited a history of domestic violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 8788.
