Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard provided an update on a tragic murder-suicide during a news conference on Monday, July 1. According to Sheriff Ard, investigators believe that late Friday night or early Saturday morning, Jenny Williamson shot and killed her husband, Steven Williamson, along with an 8-year-old child before turning the gun on herself.
The incident occurred at a home on West Bates Road near Albany. Although the home has a Hammond address, it is situated within Livingston Parish. Deputies identified the victims as Jenny and Steven Williamson, both 49. The sheriff confirmed that the child was living in the home where the killings occurred, reported Daily Mail.
Sheriff Ard noted that the couple had recently moved to Albany from Jefferson Parish. Their bodies were discovered Monday morning after a concerned family member visited the house, unable to reach the couple over the weekend.
Neighbors in the Barataria Oaks Estates subdivision in Marrero, where the couple previously resided, confirmed to Fox 8 that the Williamson had recently moved out with the young child. While none of the neighbors wanted to go on the record, they described Steven Williamson as a nice man who loved the child dearly.
Sheriff Ard confirmed that the couple had custody of the child, who was biologically related to a family member of Jenny Williamson’s. Investigators are aware of Jenny’s alleged mental state but have not yet confirmed any specific mental health issues she may have been facing.
“But any time you see these types of scenes, you believe something’s got to be going on in order for this to happen,” Sheriff Ard said. He also noted that the Albany home had no history of calls related to violence. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events leading up to this tragic incident.