NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson’s mother-in-law shot dead her husband and her 11-year-old grandson in a suspected murder-suicide, according to police.
Muskogee Police confirmed that Jack and Terry Lynn Janway, parents of Johnson’s wife Chandra Janway, were found dead shortly after 9pm last night.
Their grandson, Dalton Janway, 11, was also found dead, with all three suffering from gunshot wounds at their home in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Cops say that a woman called 911 to say there was a ‘woman with a gun’ before hanging up.
It is unclear who made the call, but officers are treating Terry, 68, as the suspect in the shooting. Cops have yet to disclose a possible motive.
Dalton, 11, (right) and his grandfather Jack (left) were both killed at the family home in Muskogee, Oklahoma
It is unclear who made the call but officers are treating Terry, 68, (pictured) as the suspect in the shooting
When officers arrived at the scene they found Jack dead in the hallway inside of the home, and Terry and Dalton in the residence.
Moments before making that grim discovery, they’d heard a single gunshot ring out.
Law enforcement says that they believe Terry, 68, shot dead her husband Jack, 69, and Dalton though the motive for the killings is unclear.
One devastated relative posted online: ‘Please tell me this isn’t really happening, please god someone.’
Tributes have poured in for the 11-year-old, with one person calling him a the ‘definition of life.
They added: ‘He was comical. Spunky. Hands down the funniest kiddo even at a young age.
‘Smart was an understatement, that kiddo never failed to amaze me with what his brain could do.
‘His future was bright, his loss is a major loss to all who got the pleasure of meeting and loving him.
Jack and Terry Janway, parents of Johnson’s wife Chandra Janway (pictured with Jimmie) were found dead shortly after 9pm last night,
One devastated relative posted online: ‘Please tell me this isn’t really happening, please god someone’
Their grandson, Dalton Janway, 11, (left) was also found dead, with all three suffering from gunshot wounds at their home in Muskogee, Oklahoma
‘I’m so glad I got to witness his beautiful personality. He was and forever will be loved by many.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Jimmie Johnson for comment.
A neighbor of the couple posted online saying: ‘They were my best friends and neighbors. I just can’t believe it’.
Muskogee Police Officer Lynn Hamlin confirmed that there was no threat to the commmunity.
She said: ‘It’s looking very likely that it’s a murder-suicide. At approximately 9:05pm, dispatch received a 911 call from a female caller who stated that there was a disturbance and someone had a gun and then hung up.
‘When officers arrived on scene they saw a subject laying in the hallway inside the front door.
‘Shortly after arriving officers heard another gunshot from further inside the house.
‘Officers rescued’ the subject laying inside the hallway and determined the subject was deceased. They began making announcements for any other occupants to come outside.
Muskogee Police say that a woman called 911 to say there was a ‘woman with a gun’ before hanging up
DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Jimmie Johnson for comment after the tragedy at his in-laws home
Neither Johnson or his wife have commented on the family tragedy
‘Once enough officers arrived on scene a search of the residence was conducted and two more subjects were found deceased inside the residence.’
Mayor Marlon Coleman told Fox23: ‘It was traumatizing to find out that a long-standing family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident.
‘It was even more bone-chilling to find out there was a child involved. I knew Dr. Janway. Dr Janway has worked on me, we’ve been acquaintances for a very, very long time since I’ve been in Muskogee.
‘Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me.’
Johnson, a 7-time NASCAR Cup champion, married Chandra in 2004 and they have two daughters together, Genevieve and Lydia.
He is currently listed to compete in NASCAR’s Chicago street race this weekend.