Hutto PD releases names of deceased in murder-suicide
JASON CHLAPEK
HUTTO – The Hutto Police Department released the names of the suspect and victims involved in an apparent murder-suicide that left three people dead last week.
Kerry Carter, 60, Deffenia Lynch, 58, and Iosha Shaw, 41, all died of gunshot wounds at a Hutto residence. It is alleged that Carter shot Lynch and Shaw before turning the gun on himself.
“Incidents like this are extremely rare for Hutto,” said Jeffrey Yarbrough, Chief of Police in Hutto. “But when they do happen, we come together to support one another and help those impacted through these difficult times.”
About 9:15 a.m. Thursday, officer with the Hutto Police Department responded to a call from an individual who reportedly claimed to have shot and killed two people, and claimed he was going to shoot himself. According to Hutto Police, officers head a gunshot inside the residence.
Officers secured the residence and discovered three shooting victims. No other victims were discovered, and Hutto Police said there is no threat to the public at this time.
This incident is still under investigation by Hutto Police.
“This is a devastating situation, and we understand the impact that it has on this community,” Yarbrough said. “We are dedicated to a thorough investigation and will provide updates as they become available. We encourage anyone with information to contact the Hutto Police Department.”
Further investigation revealed that a vehicle inside a closed garage was filled with smoke, and the car and the house contained accelerants. As a precautionary measure, additional fire and arson specialists were called to assess the garage and vehicle for any potential risks or hazards.
Yarbrough stated that Hutto Police received calls to the residence for medical reasons in the past. He also said that his department’s victim services unit will provide support for family members, and that his officers undergo extensive training to deal with situations like this tragedy.
“It’s unfortunate that we have to have a victim services coordinator, but we have one and we have a victims services advocate, and they will be providing support to the family so that we can help them through this tragedy,” Yarbrough said. “Although we don’t have a lot of ‘real world’ situations like this, we train with scenario-based events and actions. We debrief on many of those things and break those scenarios down. Our officers are training in a variety of areas of expertise to provide them with the confidence they need to deal with these types of situations.”
In addition to Hutto Police, other agencies were involved in this incident. They were Hutto Emergency Management, Hutto Fire & Rescue, Leander Fire Department, Round Rock Fire Department, Taylor Fire Department, Georgetown Fire Department, Cedar Park Fire Department, Williamson County Communications, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Marshal’s Office, Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, Austin Police Department Bomb Squad and Emergency Services, Texas Rangers, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Civil Support Team.
