“This incident is a tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family, extended family, and friends of those involved,” authorities said
Credit: Facebook (3)
NEED TO KNOW
- Three Indiana residents are dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide
- The victims were identified as Brett Dixon, 36, Melissa Cochran Dixon, 54, and Paul Dixon, 61
- Police found the bodies while performing a welfare check after Paul allegedly expressed suicidal thoughts
Three people have been found dead inside an Indiana home in what appears to be a murder-suicide.
On Thursday, May 14, the Harrison County Sheriff's Office shared a press release confirming the deaths of 36-year-old Brett Dixon, 54-year-old Melissa Cochran Dixon, and 61-year-old Paul Dixon.
Sheriff Nick Smith said deputies arrived at a residence on Greenbrier Road SE in Elizabeth at approximately 7:26 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13 to perform a welfare check at the request of Ray Dixon, who lives in Mississippi.
According to the press release, Ray told authorities he was concerned about his brother Paul after Paul expressed suicidal thoughts earlier that day.
When responding officers arrived, they found Brett deceased on the front porch. Melissa and Paul’s bodies were found inside the home.
The Harrison County Coroner's Office and Harrison County Detectives conducted a preliminary investigation, with the results suggesting Brett had been shot in the chest and head.
Melissa sustained a single gunshot wound to her head and Paul suffered from “a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” the sheriff's office said.
The HCSO added that their evidence “indicates the individual responsible for the shootings is the same individual who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
The sheriff's office added that there was no threat to the community and also no suspect at large.
“This incident is a tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family, extended family, and friends of those involved,” the press release said, adding that no additional details would be released amid the ongoing investigation.
Neighbor Ramanda Archibald said the news came as a surprise.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
"My niece went to school with him with the younger gentleman that died and he lives right around the corner from us,” she said in an interview with WLKY. “I mean we'd see him out mowing his grass and everybody waves. It's just a very tight knit community."
Another resident, identified by the news station as Robert Hasty, called Brett a “Good kid” who would “Do anything in the world for you.”
“Always had a smile on his face. Every time I seen him. I was like a second dad to him," Hasty said.
Read the full article here
