Police have released new details after completing their investigation into the devastating murder-suicide that left four people dead.
New details about the horrific Florida shooting in which a young mother, her own mother and two children died have been released by police.
The tragedy was preceded by an argument between 27-year-old Hailey Dempsey and her husband over pornography she had discovered on his phone.
The killings occurred on May 3 in Plant City, Florida, but authorities have now completed their months-long investigation and revealed more about the events leading up to the shooting.
Dempsey allegedly shot and killed her 55-year-old mother, Valerie DeBoe, before leaving the home with her three young daughters.
Police say she later fatally shot two of the children, aged four years and four months, before taking her own life.
She apparently also tried to kill her two-year-old, but missed and the child survived.
Police had been called to the home days earlier
According to Plant City Police Chief Richard Mills, officers had already been called to the family’s home several times in the days before the killings.
On May 1, Dempsey and her husband, Jay, had reportedly been involved in a verbal argument after she found adult content on his cell phone. Chief Mills clarified that police found no evidence that the dispute involved an affair.
“It wasn’t cheating or anything like that; evidently, it was just porn, and they were having an argument over that,” he said.
“I think that’s what everything stemmed from.”
Officers who responded to the initial call reportedly saw no signs of violence or criminal behavior. Later that day, Dempsey asked police to check her vehicle because she believed it may have contained a tracking device. Officers found nothing.
She subsequently left the family home with her children and her mother, who had been visiting from Clearwater, and stayed at a hotel.
The following day, police were called again when Dempsey asked for an escort to retrieve belongings from the home while her husband was away.
Grandmother allegedly shot before mother fled with children
The next day, on the morning of May 3, police say Dempsey shot her mother dead at the family’s home and then allegedly left on foot with her three daughters.
Investigators believe she later turned the gun on her children.
The surviving toddler has been placed with relatives and police say she remains in good physical health.
Dempsey died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Husband ruled out as a suspect
Dempsey’s husband was initially detained as detectives investigated the shootings. However, police later ruled him out as a suspect following what authorities described as a thorough investigation.
He was released and has not been charged in connection with the deaths.
Chief Mills said investigators found indications that mental illness may have played a role in the tragedy, though authorities did not publicly provide further details about those findings.
The police chief described the investigation as one requiring “patience, diligence and precision.”
He also spoke about the devastating scene officers encountered that day.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for 34 years,” Mills said. “I was on that scene, and it was probably the worst scene that I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking. The worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
A fundraiser has been set up in honor of Valerie DeBoe to support her surviving family members.
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