A man who was suspected of killing four family members, including a 13-year-old girl, in Memphis, Tennessee, has been found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Memphis Police Department. The suspect, 52-year-old Mavis Christian Jr., was discovered inside a white Chevrolet Malibu.
The investigation into Christian began after the shooting death of a woman on Saturday night. Police later determined that this incident was connected to other killings that occurred earlier in the day. Preliminary information suggests that these shootings were the result of a domestic violence incident involving a known relative who fled each scene.
In the area of FieldLark Drive, police responded to a shooting just after 5:30 pm, finding three people suffering from gunshot wounds: two girls and one woman. The woman and a 13-year-old girl were deceased, while a 15-year-old girl was in critical condition and taken to a hospital. The young girl was identified as Taylor, and reports have that she was shot several times but managed to get away.
The second shooting occurred on Warrington Road, nearly 13 miles away, and claimed the life of another woman. Another shooting was then reported in the 100 Block of Howard Drive shortly before 9:30 pm. Police found one woman deceased at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound.
The Memphis Police Department confirmed that the victims who died were family members. Two of the women killed were identified as the suspect’s sister and his ex-wife. The police expressed their condolences to the victims and their loved ones, stating that their community is mourning yet another instance of domestic violence.
According to the police, Mavis Christian Jr. was found at about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday with a fatal gunshot wound following a manhunt. The wound appeared to be self-inflicted.