Rankin County murder suicide: Walter Earnest Birdsong Jr & Amanda Lynn Birdsong shot and killed by Kurt Tyler Birdsong following land dispute. Owner of gunmaker, WE Birdsong & Associates and his wife were embroiled in long running grievance over land parcel on victim’s Florence, Tennessee residence.
A Mississippi firearms maker and his wife found dead in their home after being gunned down by a relative following a long standing dispute over land. The relative was found dead at the residence from a self inflicted gunshot wound.
Walter Earnest Birdsong Jr, 62, the owner of WE Birdsong & Associates, Inc, and his wife, Amanda Lynn Birdsong, 43, were found dead inside their home on Monterey Road in Florence on Friday night, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The suspected gunman, Kurt Tyler Birdsong, 56, was found dead inside a locked bathroom from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Tide News reports.
Mississippi relative had filed lawsuit against gun maker over ‘illegal’ land transfer
Records show Kurt had filed a lawsuit against Walter and two other relatives in 2019 alleging they had improperly transferred a 14-acre plot on the more than 100-acre swath of land to a third-party without his consent.
Kurt claimed in the legal filings the land had been promised to him in an oral agreement by his father before his death in 2015.
But the court ultimately ruled against Kurt, citing a lack of a written contract.
Following that ruling, neighbors said Kurt’s behavior became more erratic, recalling multiple visits from sheriff’s deputies over the past two years to mediate arguments between Kurt and other family members.
‘You’d hear yelling sometimes late at night,’ a neighbor told Tide News. ‘But nobody ever thought it would come to this.’
‘They’re a gun family, sure, but they were always professional about it,’ the neighbor added.
Suspect had barricaded self inside victim’s home
Investigators now believe Kurt entered the main home on Monterey Road – which he had reportedly been barred from following a heated argument in 2022 that involved threats of violence – with at least two handguns.
An altercation then ensued, during which Kurt shot Walter and Amanda multiple times.
Kurt is believed to have then retreated to a bathroom at the rear end of the house, locked the door and refused all communication attempts when officers arrived at the scene.
Deputies with the Rankin County Sherf’s Office said they received a 911 call just before 4pm on Friday reporting that two people had already been shot and an armed suspect retreated inside the house, barricading himself inside.
The suspect was still alive inside the house when first respondents arrived at the home, as they could hear movements but no verbal responses.
SWAT vehicles descended on scene as attempts were made to reach shooter
Due to concerns about the family’s firearms business, the sheriff’s office also requested assistance from the FBI Jackson office, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clinton Bomb Squad.
‘We could not rule out the presence of unexploded ordnance, booby traps or a large cache of weapons on the premises,’ Sheriff Bryan Bailey said in a statement, citing the family business that specializes in a proprietary weapons coating renowned for its corrosion resistance and lubricity.
‘As a result, neighboring homes were evacuated as a precaution and armored vehicles were brought in before SWAT teams made their approach.’
When the armored SWAT vehicles then arrived on the scene, negotiators tried to get in contact with Kurt, using a loudspeaker, a telephone and even drone-deployed communication devices, WLBT reports.
The SWAT team wound up spending more than three hours trying to reach Kurt.
Finally, just after 7pm, deputies used armored equipment to breach the front door.
After clearing the main living areas, they found the bathroom door locked from the inside. Authorities then used a tactical ram to gain entry.
‘This is one of the most difficult scenes I’ve worked in 20 years,’ Rankin County Deputy Coroner Cliff Dunlap said. ‘Not because of the condition of the bodies, but because of the sheer weight of family destruction.’
Who were Walter Earnest Birdsong Jr & Amanda Lynn Birdsong?
Those who knew Walter said he was a private, but dedicated member of the family business.
As the son of the company’s founder, Walter Jr grew up around firearms and manufacturing, eventually taking on a leadership role within WE Birdsong & Associates.
Neighbors described him as a quiet man who kept to himself, but was always willing to lend a hand with mechanical repairs or farm work.
Amanda, meanwhile, was described as a vibrant presence who previously tried to mediate family disputes.
‘She was always the one trying to get everyone to sit down and talk,’ one neighbor said. ‘It’s a tragedy she got caught in the middle of this.’
Meanwhile, neighbors said Kurt, became increasingly isolated over the years even as he was reportedly living on a separate structure on the family-owned land.
The family has since issued a statement, asking for their privacy at this difficult time.
‘We are heartbroken beyond words. We ask that you respect our grief as we bury Walter, Amanda and even Kurt – despite what he did, he was still family,’ they said.
‘The land that was meant to unite us has torn us apart,’ the family added. ‘Please pray for us.’
A tragedy that could’ve been averted?
An investigation into the fatal shooting is now ongoing, with the FBI Jackson Field Office analyzing Kurt’s computer and cellphone for any manifesto, messages or planning related to the shooting.
At the same time, the ATF is conducting a full inventory of the firearms and explosives at WE Birdsong and Associates to ensure no illegal activity occurred and to rule out any additional threats to the community.
Sheriff Bailey also indicated he will request a state-level review of how the court system handles family land disputes in an effort to prevent any future tragedies.
‘This wasn’t a stranger shooting or a home invasion,’ noted Dr Lila Merritt, a sociologist at the University of Mississippi who studies rural family conflict.
‘This was a slow-moving tragedy that played out over years [through] court hearings, angry phone calls, property line disputes.
‘When you mix family legacy, access to firearms and unresolved legal grievances, you have a recipe for disaster,’ she warned. ‘The only question is when, not if.’
