Starke murder-suicide; Loyd Alan Kerr shoots and kills estranged wife, Rachael Renee Kerr, then self. Florida man had repeated domestic violence violations and had broken into family home during active restraining order.
A Florida man is alleged to have shot and killed his estranged wife after breaking into her home, asked the woman’s two children if they ‘wanted to join daddy in heaven,’ before then taking his own life according to Bradford County officials.
Loyd Alan Kerr, 50, is alleged to have broken into the home of Rachael Renee Kerr, 43, early Thursday morning just on 5.15 a.m, leading to the concerned woman calling 911 only for her to hang up. Officers with the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office rushed to the residence only to find a deceased man, with a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head near the entrance.
A search of the home led to the discovery of the victim, the suspect’s estranged wife with a gunshot wound to the neck in the yard. Officers also located the couple’s two children, a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old. Both were found safe and un-harmed.
‘Do you want to go to heaven with dad?’
Despite Rachael Kerr being rushed to Bradford EMS, the former wife was declared dead, First Coast News reported.
During investigations it was revealed the victim having an order of protection against her husband, the result of a former domestic violence incident.
According to Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith, Racheal had woken up, fearing had been broken into. She reportedly called 911 before the call was disconnected.
Sheriff Smith says that Loyd had entered the home and took the couple’s two children into a vehicle outside. He also attempted to put Racheal into the vehicle, before she was able to escape with injuries.
After she fled, the sheriff says that Loyd took the children outside and asked them if they wanted to ‘go to heaven with dad’. He pointed the gun at each, and they both said no. He then pointed the gun at himself and fired. The children then ran to a neighbor’s house.
Multiple domestic violation incidents and active restraining order
Sheriff Gordon confirmed that before the incident, deputies had been to that home multiple times before, and that Loyd had several pending domestic violence cases. The Sheriff told of Rachael having an active order of restraint on her ex.
The couple filed for divorce in July. The wife obtained a restraining order against Loyd Kerr on July 28, and he was arrested on Nov. 8 for violating the terms of the protection order after his mother contacted Rachael on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 on his behalf. He called his mother from the Clay County Jail and asked her to call Rachael to see if they could get back together, Clay Today reported.
He was charged again on Nov. 9 by talking with Rachael on Sept. 14 while she was at work.
He was arrested again on Nov. 11 for contacting Rachael through Facebook on Sept. 15, according to Clay County court records.
Loyd and Rachael’s children are now with the Florida Department of Children and Families care pending placement with family. The maternal grandmother now has immediate custody of the children.
