I can't for the life of me understand how or why someone can just murder someone , anyone but for heavens sake , someone that you are soposed to love or loved at one time.
I just found out this morning that a friend of mine was murdered this weekend along with his Mom. I'm just really distraught over this whole thing it tears me up inside to imagine this.
Today's Date:
August 22, 2007
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Lawrenceburg Woman, Leoma Man Killed In Alabama Shooting
Posted on August 21, 2007
From the Times Daily
A Lauderdale County man shot and killed his estranged wife, stepson and himself as an apparent result of a domestic situation that erupted early Monday morning, authorities said.
57 year oldPhyllis Darnell, of 517 Third St., Lawrenceburg, and her 38-year-old son, Phillip Darnell, of Leoma., were killed at the scene, said Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis.
The suspect, 60-year-old Billy Berryman, Phyllis Darnell's estranged husband, was found inside the house at 356 Lauderdale 496 where he died from an apparent self-inflected wound, officials said.
The shooting took place just before 9:30 a.m. at Berryman's residence, which is in the Sweet Gum community, five miles west of Lexington.
"I just don't understand people," said Willis as he stood on the road looking toward the house. "I really hate this; this has really just torn up the lives of two families."
Investigators said Berryman and Darnell were going through a divorce. One of Darnell's family members said Phyllis Darnell had been living in Lawrenceburg for about four months.
Chief Investigator Travis Clemmons said Darnell, her son and her daughter came to the residence to get some of Phyllis Darnell's belongings.
A silver Toyota sports utility vehicle, with a trailer attached, was parked in the driveway. The trailer was filled with various items, including a lawn mower, generator, tools and lawn equipment.
A tractor-trailer truck driver was at the residence loading a large utility building that was to be taken off the property.
Clemmons said a family member who lived nearby apparently notified Berryman at work that the Darnells were at the house getting the items.
"He drove up and blocked the driveway, got out of his truck and confronted them," Clemmons said. "From what we can determine, some kind of argument ensued and shots were fired."
He said the confrontation happened behind the house near the barn, which is where the Darnells' bodies were found.
Willis said Darnell's daughter and the truck driver ran when the shooting started and were not injured.
The sheriff said that apparently Berryman chased them a little way before returning to his residence.
"When officers arrived, they found (the two victims), laying in the backyard," Clemmons said.
Willis said that while deputies were checking the bodies, they heard a muffled shot come from inside the house.
The sheriff said the Lauderdale County special response team was activated and around 10 a.m. the decision was made to enter the house.
Clemmons said when the team entered the house, they found Berryman who had apparently sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities said Berryman was on the couch with a .38-caliber pistol in his hand.
Many members of the Darnell and Berryman families came to the scene and were noticeably upset.
Authorities said the bodies will be sent to forensics for autopsies.
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