My brother Dave called today and said that there had been a murder-suicide about 20 miles from where I grew up.  It seems strange that something like that could happen in a place where everyone knows everyone else.  You never think about those things happening in small-town America.  Small towns are thought to be friendly places, where you know everyone and neighbors greet each other when they meet on the street.

This, like so many of these cases, was the result of a domestic dispute mixed with alcohol.  It is so sad that a nine-year old little girl will have to live with the memory of her father shooting her mother right in front of her.  She will surely have nightmares for the rest of her life.  I hope that she finds someone, a family member hopefully, that will take her in and nurture her so that she grows up to be a fine young woman.

I think that the shooter in this case was very selfish.  He should have thought of what would happen to his daughter, with no mother or father for the remainder of her life.  Very sad indeed.