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Judi Lynn

(160,336 posts)
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 06:50 PM Jun 2016

Sheriff: Texas woman shot daughters to make husband 'suffer'

Source: Associated Press

Sheriff: Texas woman shot daughters to make husband 'suffer'

David Warren, Associated Press

Updated 5:32 pm, Wednesday, June 29, 2016

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas woman who fatally shot her two daughters did not target her estranged husband because she "wanted him to suffer" the memory of their deaths, a sheriff said Wednesday.

Christy Sheats, 42, "had ample time" on Friday to shoot Jason Sheats after she called a family meeting at their home west of Houston, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said during a news conference. Jason Sheats, 45, thought his wife was going to discuss a possible divorce to the couple's daughters, Nehls said, but she instead shot Madison Sheats, 17, and Taylor Sheats, 22.

The children and Jason Sheats ran outside, but Christy Sheats followed them out and shot her eldest daughter again. A responding officer later shot and killed her when she refused orders to drop her gun. Jason Sheats was not injured.

"She accomplished what she set out to do, and that is to make him suffer," Nehls said, adding that Jason Sheats told investigators Tuesday about the sequence of events, details about the couple's crumbling marriage and Christy Sheats' bouts of depression.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Sheriff-Texas-woman-shot-daughters-to-make-8332455.php

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Sheriff: Texas woman shot daughters to make husband 'suffer' (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jun 2016 OP
Why was someone with chronic depression able to buy firearms? redstatebluegirl Jun 2016 #1
Other reports say the gun was inherited, not bought. ManiacJoe Jun 2016 #3
inherited from her grandfather IronLionZion Jun 2016 #9
Inherited or no, she should have had all of the firearms removed after the police visited her redstatebluegirl Jun 2016 #11
I agree. She was denied a carry permit IronLionZion Jun 2016 #13
No but this is where we need some common sense gun control. redstatebluegirl Jun 2016 #19
she had previously tried to commit suicide THREE TIMES, that's beyond depressed AntiBank Jun 2016 #14
Which law provides for that? IronLionZion Jun 2016 #15
if there isnt one there needs to be. AntiBank Jun 2016 #17
Agreed. Seems like the husband should have done that. He knew her history. brush Jun 2016 #26
This message was self-deleted by its author Odin2005 Jun 2016 #36
I believe that the death penalty is barbaric. iandhr Jun 2016 #2
In a way, kentauros Jun 2016 #4
After murdering her own children IronLionZion Jun 2016 #10
An asshole in WI did that to his ex-wife Release The Hounds Jun 2016 #5
I just knew there had to be a good reason. bluedigger Jun 2016 #6
Several suicide attempts, frequent police visits, alcoholism, depression, hospitalization... EL34x4 Jun 2016 #7
Yes, finding a way to blame the husband for this is normal in today's society Feeling the Bern Jun 2016 #16
I don't think the poster was blaming the husband, just wishing Ilsa Jun 2016 #18
I have no doubt the husband wished he had removed them TexasBushwhacker Jun 2016 #24
Yates could have had her tubes tied. . . Feeling the Bern Jun 2016 #25
You could freeze sperm and then have the vasectomy. DawgHouse Jun 2016 #29
A vasectomy is an easier and less expensive procedure TexasBushwhacker Jun 2016 #30
It looks like from social media the entire family was into guns so I don't think they would see them Person 2713 Jun 2016 #23
I've heard of parents using children as "pawns," but this reaches a new low ailsagirl Jun 2016 #8
Anyone who wants to make others suffer IronLionZion Jun 2016 #12
She was a Full-On Gun Nut too - she loved the Holy 2A jpak Jun 2016 #20
This mom loved the AAA. JonathanRackham Jun 2016 #27
Medea used poison. displacedtexan Jun 2016 #21
Will NRA Rep Ask, "If Only Daughters Were Armed, This Tragedy Would Be Avoided." TomCADem Jun 2016 #22
I will never understand how someone could do that to her own children. NaturalHigh Jun 2016 #28
Mental Illness can do that to anyone. They become disassociated with reality. haele Jun 2016 #31
Interesting summary. NaturalHigh Jun 2016 #33
Slowly but surely. haele Jun 2016 #34
Well, he will suffer the rest of his life. Congrats. . .you won. Now burn in hell for murdering Feeling the Bern Jun 2016 #32
Horrid tragedy. Just plain horrific. n/t Aerows Jun 2016 #35
This message was self-deleted by its author Odin2005 Jun 2016 #37
if he was married to a nut case, he was already suffering olddad56 Jun 2016 #38

redstatebluegirl

(12,265 posts)
1. Why was someone with chronic depression able to buy firearms?
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 06:52 PM
Jun 2016

I don't want all your guns, but this kind of incident makes me want them all. Don't tell me if she had a knife the same thing would happen, she would have had to catch them to kill them that way. What a horrible thing to have happen because we are afraid to properly vet people who buy and use guns.

IronLionZion

(45,357 posts)
9. inherited from her grandfather
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:28 PM
Jun 2016

she didn't buy it.

And the NRA does not want restrictions for depression because they think we may all be depressed from time to time and they think it would be used to take away their guns.

redstatebluegirl

(12,265 posts)
11. Inherited or no, she should have had all of the firearms removed after the police visited her
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:41 PM
Jun 2016

home over 14 times and she had chronic depression which is very different than having it once in a while.

IronLionZion

(45,357 posts)
13. I agree. She was denied a carry permit
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:44 PM
Jun 2016

Do you know of any law in which police can remove her weapons for mental illness? Even to just lock it up in the station?

They have it in other countries. I don't know of any law like that in the US.

 

AntiBank

(1,339 posts)
14. she had previously tried to commit suicide THREE TIMES, that's beyond depressed
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 08:04 PM
Jun 2016

All firearms should have been the fuck out of that house.

 

AntiBank

(1,339 posts)
17. if there isnt one there needs to be.
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 08:22 PM
Jun 2016

At some point, obvious mental illness has to trump 2nd Amendment rights.

Response to redstatebluegirl (Reply #1)

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
4. In a way,
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:00 PM
Jun 2016

she got the death penalty already. I have to wonder if she had planned to then commit suicide, had the police not shown up.

IronLionZion

(45,357 posts)
10. After murdering her own children
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:29 PM
Jun 2016

there really is no other way to end it. No one would want to live with that shame and regret. It sounds like she wanted to die by cop.

 

EL34x4

(2,003 posts)
7. Several suicide attempts, frequent police visits, alcoholism, depression, hospitalization...
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:14 PM
Jun 2016

It pains me to blame the victim here but someone needed to take the responsibility to remove firearms from this home.

"Sheats' life appeared to unravel in 2012 following the death of her grandfather..." Really? I hate to break it to you but grandparents die. It is one of those painful milestones in life. You need to learn to cope with this in a healthy manner.

People, if you have a loved one living in your home who is suffering with mental illness, substance abuse, depression, GET RID OF THE GUNS!

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
16. Yes, finding a way to blame the husband for this is normal in today's society
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 08:06 PM
Jun 2016

It pains you blame the victim, but it's his fault for not getting rid of the guns.

Logic like this makes my head spin. Would you say the same thing about a rape victim?

Ilsa

(61,681 posts)
18. I don't think the poster was blaming the husband, just wishing
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 08:24 PM
Jun 2016

Someone would take responsibility (it wasn't the husband's, I guess) for ridding the home of firearms. I think police should refer domestic cases like this to special public advocates who will investigate, present a case to a judge for the home to be searched and all firearms removed, as well as the person losing their gun purchase and ownership rights.

It's hard to get the spouses to get on this because they are frequently of the same mindset when it comes to guns, and they don't want to leave them defenseless (ha).

I think sometimes police drop the ball on domestic cases. I think all of them should be referred for special counseling.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,087 posts)
24. I have no doubt the husband wished he had removed them
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 09:22 AM
Jun 2016

He probably wishes he had done more to get her the help she so desperately needed. When someone you love is mentally ill, you sometimes have to make some difficult choices and do difficult things. You cannot sit by passively and let the mentally ill person harm themselves or others.

Blaming someone for their actions (or inactions) calls attention to their RESPONSIBILTY. Remember when Andrea Yates drowned her 5 children? It turned out she had a history of severe postnatal depression. Her doctor told her and her husband Randy that she absolutely should not have any more children. Did Randy go get a vasectomy? No! Andrea said she wanted another baby and Randy said "Okay".

I'm not usually one to pimp my own posts, but please read this.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027962762

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
25. Yates could have had her tubes tied. . .
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 09:27 AM
Jun 2016

I wouldn't get a vasectomy. . .if my marriage, god forbids, falls apart, we get divorced and I remarry, it would be an act of selfishness if I could not provide if my new wife wanted a child.

He probably wishes. . .yes, because she wanted to get back at him. And she has, for the rest of his life he will wonder if he did enough to save his daughters. Is that right? Is that good?

TexasBushwhacker

(20,087 posts)
30. A vasectomy is an easier and less expensive procedure
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 10:36 AM
Jun 2016

It's done in a doctor's office with local anesthesia. A tubal ligation requires general anesthesia, therefore it has to be done in a hospital.

Again, whether Randy Yates got a vasectomy or insisted that Andrea get a tubal ligation, he was the sane one. You simply can't allow a mentally ill person, especially a spouse, to make dangerous choices. If you do, it's your fault when tragedy happens.

Person 2713

(3,263 posts)
23. It looks like from social media the entire family was into guns so I don't think they would see them
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 11:38 PM
Jun 2016

as something they should take away from her. In fact the killer had social media posts against people esp. Democrats , trying to take away guns and the dad and one daughter posted about shooting together, and 2nd A rights so probably not this family's way of dealing with mental health.

IronLionZion

(45,357 posts)
12. Anyone who wants to make others suffer
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:41 PM
Jun 2016

should really just kill themselves first.


The tension among family members had grown recently when Taylor Sheats had argued with her mother about her boyfriend, whom she intended to marry, Nehls said. Christy Sheats wanted to ground her daughter and prevent her from seeing her boyfriend, while her husband had argued it was inappropriate to ground someone of Taylor's age.



Nehls said that Christy Sheats' life appeared to unravel in 2012 following the death of her grandfather, who she saw as a mentor. Her mother died a few months later. Her grandfather gave her the .38-caliber handgun used to kill her daughters. Sheats had applied for a license to carry the gun but was denied, the sheriff said, adding that authorities are investigating why she was denied.


Apparantly mom didn't like the boyfriend/fiance. He's latino, which might have been a factor.



displacedtexan

(15,696 posts)
21. Medea used poison.
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 08:57 PM
Jun 2016

To punish her husband, Jason, she poisoned the wedding dress she was giving to his new bride, and she had her sons carry it to their father and his bride.

This story is always tragic; guns are just the latest weapon in a long line of them.

Truly heavy sigh.

TomCADem

(17,380 posts)
22. Will NRA Rep Ask, "If Only Daughters Were Armed, This Tragedy Would Be Avoided."
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 09:41 PM
Jun 2016

Maybe Donald Trump or the NRA will advocate that children pack heat on the off chance that there parents decide to gun them down.

haele

(12,612 posts)
31. Mental Illness can do that to anyone. They become disassociated with reality.
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 10:47 AM
Jun 2016

No matter if it's PTSD, clinical depression, mania, neurosis or any of the other psychosis - there was somehow a damage to internal or external filtering and cognitive function that affects not only emotional stability, but the actual understanding of what is real and what is an uncontrolled wandering of the imagination that feels "real". The entire world has to be shrunk to basic immediate black and white concepts just for a person with mental illness to be able to cope with what is going on in their brains.

And in this case, from sad and stressful experience with a family member with mental issues, I suspect that this woman's spouse and children were no longer people to her; in her shrinking acceptability of reality, they had become dolls whose actions had to follow a script she imagined for them.
Like my family member, she would have had to punish them for "triggering" the rage and frustration that was the center of the very small world she was trying to control in her mind. They made her do it, because they hurt her so badly...

Thing to remember, she wasn't always like that. At one point in her life, she could cope and presented a fully functional appearance to the world. Things just fell apart for her.
It's very difficult to convince someone that is trying to keep what little comforting shreds of control around them they have that they need to give up that control and seek help from someone who in their mind "doesn't know what I'm going through right now..."
The fear of losing oneself to the madness if one gives up control is overwhelming. And from what I've experienced, it's also accompanied with a rage that no one apparently cares enough to just rescue them - in the manner they'll accept.

Haele

haele

(12,612 posts)
34. Slowly but surely.
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 11:12 AM
Jun 2016

Family member is finally admitting there's a problem that they need to fix at least. That they don't want to be "that person". That's the first step.

You don't have to accept what they do, or excuse what they do. But you do have to understand where someone with a mental illness is are so you can anticipate and mitigate the damage - and hope to manipulate them into finding help.

Haele

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
32. Well, he will suffer the rest of his life. Congrats. . .you won. Now burn in hell for murdering
Thu Jun 30, 2016, 10:48 AM
Jun 2016

your two daughters.

I'd call you what I know you are, Christy, but the word police would get my post blocked.

Response to Judi Lynn (Original post)

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