A quiet Oregon community is reeling after an apparent murder-suicide left a couple and three young children dead inside their home.
Josephine County sheriff’s deputies went to the residence of 42-year-old Hannah Marie Behee on the morning of Aug. 11 after she failed to show up for work — something friends and coworkers described as completely out of character. When officers arrived at the property on Hussey Lane in Pickett Creek, near Grants Pass, they noticed “suspicious conditions” outside the home.
Upon entering, deputies and Oregon State Police officers found five people dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The victims were identified as Hannah Behee, 40-year-old Chad Behee, and three children — two boys, ages 11 and 9, and a 7-year-old girl.
Investigators believe Chad shot the others before taking his own life. While police have not officially confirmed the family relationships, The Oregonian reported that Hannah and Chad were a couple who co-owned the property, and a relative has said the children were Hannah’s.
Hannah’s cousin, Michael Nadey, started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses, describing the loss as “deep sorrow” for everyone who knew them. “Hannah was a loving mother,” he wrote. “And her children were full of life and promise.”
