Molly Lillard murder suicide: Daughter of Jets great Al Toon shot dead by husband, Royce Lillard III at their Scottsdale, Arizona home before killing self.
Molly Lillard, the daughter of New York Jets great, Al Toon and Volleyball standout was fatally shot Sunday at her Arizona home in an apparent murder-suicide according to reports.
Police believe Lillard’s husband, 36-year-old Royce Lillard III, shot her before turning the gun on himself in their Scottsdale house.
The couple’s 8-month-old child who was there, was not injured, police said.
Royce Lillard is suspected of killing his wife sometime before 5 p.m. When police showed up to their residence, he barricaded himself inside.
A SWAT team entered the home at about 10:45 p.m., finding him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, The Arizona Republic reported.
Completely heartbroken. 💔 Praying for the Toon family and sending love to the entire @umichvball family. Love you, Molly. pic.twitter.com/vqRPFZgFAV
— Erin Virtue (@ErinVirtue) April 13, 2021
Standout sporting star like her father
The couple’s infant is being cared for by the family.
It remained unclear what motivated the murder suicide.
Molly Lillard was a standout volleyball player, both at her Wisconsin high school and later at the University of Michigan, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Molly Elizabeth Lillard, 28, was a 2010 Middleton HS graduate twice leading the school to the state volleyball tournament before playing at the University of Michigan. She was a four-year letter-winner for the Wolverines and earned honorable mention all-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association as a senior in 2013, according to her Michigan bio.
Her father, Toon, set football records at University of Wisconsin before getting drafted by the Jets.
The wide receiver made it to the Pro Bowl three times in eight years.
