Race car driver Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws and their 11-year-old grandson found dead in murder-suicide, police say
Originally Published: 27 JUN 23 16:41 ET
Updated: 27 JUN 23 17:33 ET
By Raja Razek, CNN
Editor's note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-8255 to connect with a trained counselor, or visit 988lifeline.org.
(CNN) — The parents and nephew of race car driver Jimmie Johnson’s wife, Chandra Janway Johnson, were killed Monday at a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, according to a news release from the Muskogee Police Department. A police spokesperson told CNN it was a suspected murder-suicide.
On Monday, police received a 911 call from a woman who said “someone” had a gun and then hung up, according to the release.
“When officers arrived on scene they saw a subject laying in the hallway inside the front door,” the release read. “Shortly after arriving officers heard another gunshot from further inside the house.”
“Officers conducted a rescue of the subject laying inside the hallway and determined the subject was deceased,” the release added.
The officers also made announcements for any other person in the home to “come outside.”
“Once enough officers arrived on scene, a search of the residence was conducted and two more subjects were found deceased inside the residence,” the release read.
Authorities identified the people who died as 69-year-old Jack Janway and his wife, 68-year-old Terry Janway, along with their 11-year-old grandson, Dalton Janway.
NASCAR issued a statement Tuesday saying, “We are saddened by the tragic deaths of members of Chandra Johnson’s family. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest support and condolences during this difficult time to Chandra, Jimmie and the entire Johnson & Janway families.”
The auto racing team Legacy Motor Club announced in a statement Tuesday that Johnson is withdrawing from this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series event in Chicago. “The Johnson family has asked for privacy at this time and no further statements will be made,” the club said.
“It was traumatizing to find out that a longstanding family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident,” Mayor Marlon Coleman told CNN affiliate KOKI. “It was even more bone-chilling when we found out there were children involved.”
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